Former Premier League referee David Coote has been handed a nine-month sentence, suspended for two years, after pleading guilty to making a Category A indecent image of a child
Samuel Meade
11:37, 08 Jan 2026
File photo dated 14/10/2025 of David Coote. The sentencing of the former Premier League referee over a child abuse video found on his device has been delayed until next month. The 43-year-old pleaded guilty to making an indecent image of a child at a court hearing in October after a category A video, the most serious kind, was discovered by police. Issue date: Tuesday October 14, 2025.
Ex-Premier League referee David Coote(Image: © 2025 PA Media, All Rights Reserved)
Former Premier League referee David Coote has received a nine-month sentence, suspended for two years, after admitting to making a Category A indecent image of a child.
The 43-year-old was charged on 12 August following an investigation by Nottinghamshire Police. The file was uncovered during a forensic examination of his electronic devices, which was carried out as part of the broader investigation. Category A represents the most severe classification.
The seized video ran for two minutes and 11 seconds and featured a 15 year old boy dressed in a school uniform, the sentencing hearing was told. Following his arrest, the defendant was questioned about these matters and responded "no comment".
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Judge Nirmal Shant stated: "David Coote, you have had a spectacular fall from grace."
She further explained that the starting point for such an offence is one year's imprisonment, with sentences typically ranging between 26 weeks and three years. The Judge emphasised that this type of offence involves "a real child being abused with all the damage that flows from it".
Laura Jane Miller, Coote's defence counsel, highlighted his personal and mental health struggles at the time he downloaded the image, urging the judge to consider a suspended sentence. She stated: "This defendant had an outward persona as a very successful football referee. That outward persona did not reflect him as a person because behind that was an internal struggle with his mental health dating back to 2017 following the breakdown of a relationship.
"Mr Coote's cocaine use commenced in around 2019 and he has lost his career and reputation amid intense press scrutiny. He has shown remorse for this offending, he is ashamed of himself and his actions, and he has not taken any cocaine since his arrest in February, 2025.
"He now works in an administrative role and is trying to rebuild his life step-by-step. His life is a far cry from where it was at the height of his career and he knows he will never get that career back."
David Coote was fired by the Premier League
David Coote was fired by the Premier League(Image: PA)
She added: "He is not someone who will find themselves back before the courts again. He's deeply ashamed of himself and his actions."
Coote initially pleaded not guilty in September at Nottingham Magistrates' Court, while Nottingham Crown Court previously heard that his "sexual attraction" to children came to light when the FA initiated an investigation into Coote.
Coote was dismissed by the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) in December 2024 following the circulation of a video showing the official making remarks about former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp in 2020. Whilst the video remained unverified, Coote confirmed during the FA investigation that it had been recorded in his living room in June 2020 with a friend.
Throughout the investigation, Coote reversed his position and insisted his words did not represent his genuine feelings towards the German. He also offered a personal apology to Klopp.
The PGMOL confirmed they had ended Coote's employment, announcing that a comprehensive investigation found he was "in serious breach of the provisions of his employment contract, with his position deemed untenable".
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Earlier that year, Coote had also been suspended by UEFA over alleged drug use. A separate video surfaced purportedly showing Coote using a white powder through a bank note whilst working at Euro 2024.
This led UEFA to initiate their own disciplinary proceedings and suspend him from all European officiating duties until 30 June 2026.
Coote publicly came out as gay in January and revealed that struggles to conceal his sexuality had affected his behaviour following the emergence of the videos about Klopp and his drug use.
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"My sexuality isn't the only reason that led me to be in that position. But I'm not telling an authentic story if I don't say that I'm gay and that I've had real struggles with hiding that," he said. "I hid my emotions as a young ref and I hid my sexuality as well - a good quality as a referee but a terrible quality as a human being. And that's led me to a whole course of behaviours."