Ex-Premier League Referee David Coote Pleads Guilty to Child Image Offence
Former Premier League referee David Coote, 43, has pleaded guilty to making an indecent image of a child, one of the most serious offences under UK law relating to child exploitation materials.
Coote appeared before Nottingham Crown Court on Tuesday, where he admitted to possessing and transferring a Category A video, the highest level of severity for indecent image which police recovered in February this year.
The court heard that Coote extracted the explicit video from a hard drive onto a laptop on January 2, 2020. The act formed the basis of the single charge against him, which refers to the making, downloading, or saving of material involving the abuse of minors.
During the brief six-minute hearing, Coote, dressed in a navy suit and black tie spoke only to confirm his name and enter his guilty plea. He was granted conditional bail until his next court appearance scheduled for December 11, when sentencing will take place.
Judge Nirmal Shant KC ordered a pre-sentence report and made clear that the crime could lead to imprisonment.
“You have pleaded guilty to a serious matter,” the judge told Coote. “Whether this means custody or not will be decided when all the information is before the court. You must not go away with the impression that this will not lead to a custodial sentence.”
The former referee had initially pleaded not guilty to the same charge during a hearing at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on September 10, before changing his plea this week.
Coote, who was born in Nottinghamshire and officiated in both the Premier League and EFL, saw his football career collapse after several controversies. He was sacked last year when a video surfaced showing him making inappropriate comments about former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp in 2020.
In August 2024, the Football Association (FA) imposed an eight-week suspension on Coote over the same incident, citing professional misconduct.
Earlier this year, Coote made headlines when he publicly came out as gay in an interview with The Sun. He revealed that years of suppressing his sexuality had contributed to his frustration and the rant that led to his dismissal.
The latest conviction, however, marks a grim turn in Coote’s fall from grace. Once regarded as a steady presence in English football officiating, his reputation has now been overshadowed by serious criminal behaviour that could result in a prison sentence and mandatory registration as a sex offender.
Coote’s final sentencing will be determined after the court reviews the pre-sentence report in December.