Recommendation 5

Former Chief Constable Guildford was not informed ahead of giving oral evidence on 6 January that Microsoft Copilot AI had been used to generate the erroneous information about a match between West Ham and Maccabi Tel Aviv. On this basis we can only conclude that the former Chief Constable did not intentionally mislead the Committee. However, by 6 January 2026 we understand that the use of AI had been disclosed within West Midlands Police, so it is reasonable to expect that former Chief Constable Guildford and Assistant Chief Constable O’Hara should have been accurately briefed on this matter. Having been asked specifically about the use of AI on 1 December 2025, it demonstrates a remarkable lack of professional curiosity on the part of the former Chief Constable not to interrogate the evidential basis to furnish himself with accurate information ahead of our session on 6 January. The fact that he was able to give the Committee incorrect information on two separate occasions is more evidence of the poor due diligence which West Midlands Police applied to information in this case. It should not have taken two oral evidence sessions and a subsequent written correction to achieve candour and accuracy; this raises serious questions about the culture of transparency and commitment to accuracy in West Midlands Police. (Conclusion, Paragraph 24)