In a dramatic fall from grace, former Premier League referee David Coote has been handed a nine-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, after he pleaded guilty to making an indecent image of a child.
The Court Hearing and Evidence
Nottingham Crown Court heard on Thursday that police had seized the 43-year-old's electronic devices. Investigators discovered an explicit two-minute video on his laptop featuring a 15-year-old boy, initially seen in school uniform. The video was dated January 2, 2020.
Prosecutor Jeremy Janes informed the court that Coote was charged in October relating to a category A video, the most severe classification, which was recovered by officers in February. The offence of making such an image carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison.
A Spectacular Fall from Grace
Judge Nirmal Shant KC, sparing Coote an immediate prison term, told the former official he had experienced a "spectacular fall from grace." She emphasised that videos like the one he downloaded "involve a real child being abused" and warned viewers of such material to consider the lasting damage caused.
The judge also addressed Coote's personal circumstances, noting he was a "lonely man" dealing with a recent relationship breakdown, mental health difficulties, and cocaine use. She stated the drug consumption, while his choice, had a "direct effect on your thinking."
The court was told the video was found during a separate probe into comments Coote made about former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp in 2020. In a police interview in February 2025, Coote answered "no comment" to relevant questions and was also cautioned after officers found cocaine in his house the same month.
Consequences and Remorse
Coote's professional downfall was swift. He was sacked by Professional Game Match Officials Limited in December 2024 after the Klopp comments surfaced. Later, in August 2025, the Football Association gave him an eight-week suspension over the same footage.
His barrister, Laura Jane Miller, said Coote was "deeply ashamed of himself and his actions." She told the court he had faced "intensive media scrutiny for the last six years" and had shown remorse to the probation service.
Coote, who came out as gay in an interview with The Sun in January last year, citing a lifelong struggle with his sexuality, left the court via a private exit. He did not speak to waiting media.
