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Former Premier League referee David Coote has been spared immediate imprisonment after he was found in possession of a sexual video featuring a 15-year-old boy in school uniform on his laptop. The 43-year-old, who was born in Nottinghamshire and is a registered Notts County fan, previously pleaded guilty to making an indecent moving image of a child of the most serious kind. At Nottingham Crown Court on Thursday, he was handed a sentence of nine months, suspended for two years, as his arms and hands trembled during the hearing.
The court heard that the two-minute and 11-second video, discovered on his Dell laptop’s hard drive, showed the boy undressing completely before performing sexual acts on himself. The footage was dated January 2, 2020, and was found when police seized his electronic devices in February last year during a separate investigation into comments he made about former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp in 2020.
Passing sentence, Judge Nirmal Shant KC told Coote he had suffered a “spectacular fall from grace”. She emphasized that videos like the one he possessed involve real children being abused and that those who view such material must recognize the lasting damage inflicted on victims. The judge also noted that at the time of the offense, Coote was struggling with loneliness following a relationship breakdown, had mental health difficulties, and was consuming cocaine.
Coote’s professional downfall has been extensive. In November 2024, an unverified video circulated on social media showing him making derogatory comments about Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp, describing the club in offensive terms and accusing the German manager of arrogance. A subsequent video emerged appearing to show him snorting a white powder, purportedly while working at Euro 2024 where he served as an assistant var. The Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOl) launched a thorough investigation and sacked him in December 2024, stating his actions were a serious breach of his employment contract and his position was untenable. He also faces an ongoing investigation by the Football Association (FA) into allegations he discussed giving a yellow card before a Championship match between Leeds United and West Bromwich Albion in 2019, which he strongly denies.
In February 2025, UEFA announced it had banned Coote until June 30, 2026, for “bringing the sport of football, and UEFA in particular, into disrepute”. His refereeing career had seen significant success prior to these scandals; he took charge of his first Premier League game in April 2018, was elevated to the top tier of officials the following season, and refereed the 2023 Carabao Cup final between Manchester United and Newcastle United. His final fixture before suspension was Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Aston Villa on November 9, 2024.
Details about Coote’s family life remain largely private, though it is known he has had significant personal challenges in recent years. The case has highlighted the importance of protecting children from abuse, with organizations like the NSPCC working to prevent harm and support victims.
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