Former Premier League match official David Coote has been given a suspended jail term after admitting to possessing a child abuse video found on his laptop.
Coote, 43, from Woodhill in Collingham, Nottinghamshire, was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court on Thursday to nine months in prison, suspended for two years. He was also issued a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and instructed to complete 150 hours of unpaid community service.
The ex-referee pleaded guilty to making an indecent image of a child — specifically a Category A video, the most severe classification. The footage, which featured a 15-year-old boy in a school uniform, lasted two minutes and 11 seconds and was accessed on Coote’s Dell laptop on 2 January 2020, according to court documents.
Judge Nirmal Shant KC addressed Coote in court, saying:
“Anyone who commits this type of offence must understand that real children are harmed in the making of such material.”
The case surfaced during an investigation initiated by the Football Association. Police seized multiple devices from Coote’s home, and forensic analysis uncovered the explicit video. Coote initially denied wrongdoing but later changed his plea to guilty in October of last year.
His defence lawyer, Laura Miller, argued that the incident did not represent Coote’s character, suggesting his actions stemmed from emotional turmoil following the breakdown of a relationship. She added that he has been attempting to rebuild his life gradually over the past six years.
The court also heard that Coote had previously been cautioned for cocaine possession and has endured intense public scrutiny. Judge Shant described his situation as “a spectacular fall from grace,” referencing a series of damaging events that derailed his refereeing career.
Gossip News Now reports that Coote was dismissed by the Premier League in 2024 following controversial remarks he made about former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp in 2020. He later served an eight-week suspension from the FA last August and remains banned by UEFA until 30 June this year after images leaked showing him snorting a white substance during Euro 2024.
In January 2025, Coote publicly announced he is gay, revealing that years of hiding his sexuality played a role in the emotional pressure he faced, including the incident involving Klopp.
Judge Shant ended the sentencing with a stern warning:
“If you breach this order in any way, or if there are any further offences, particularly of a sexual nature, you will be brought back to court.”
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