Former Premier League Referee Receives Suspended Sentence for Child Abuse Video

David Coote, a former Premier League referee, has been sentenced to nine months in prison, which will be suspended for two years, following the discovery of a child abuse video on his laptop.

The video, featuring a 15-year-old boy in a school uniform, was found on a device seized by police in February of the previous year. Coote, a 43-year-old resident of Woodhill, Collingham, Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty to making an indecent image of a child at Nottingham Crown Court in October, with the video classified as category A, the most severe category for indecent imagery.

During a court appearance on Thursday, Coote was sentenced and also received a sexual harm prevention order that will last for ten years. The court proceedings revealed that an analysis of Coote’s devices indicated that his Dell laptop had been used to download and view a category A moving image, lasting two minutes and eleven seconds, on January 2, 2020.

Judge Nirmal Shant KC emphasized the gravity of Coote’s actions, stating, “Those who commit this sort of offence must realize they involve a real child and that causes them damage.”

The case came to light during an investigation by the Football Association (FA), which led to the seizure and analysis of multiple devices from Coote’s home. Initially pleading not guilty, Coote admitted the charges the following month.

In his defense, Laura Miller argued that Coote’s actions on January 2, 2020, do not reflect his character, attributing his behavior to an internal struggle following a relationship breakdown. She mentioned that Coote has faced significant media scrutiny, to which the judge remarked, “Some might say he has brought it on himself.”

Miller noted that six years have passed since the offense and that Coote, now employed in an administrative role, is working to rebuild his life. She conveyed that his current circumstances are a stark contrast to his former career as a referee, acknowledging that he will never regain his previous status.

The court also learned that Coote had been cautioned for possession of cocaine following a police visit to his home. Addressing Coote before sentencing, Judge Shant remarked on his “spectacular fall from grace.”

In 2024, Coote was dismissed from his position when comments he made in a video regarding former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp resurfaced. Additionally, he received an eight-week suspension from the FA in August 2023 due to the same footage. He is also subject to a ban from UEFA until June 30 of this year after images surfaced of him using cocaine in Germany during Euro 2024.

In January 2025, Coote publicly came out as gay in an interview with The Sun, stating that his lifelong struggle with his sexuality contributed to his earlier outburst regarding Klopp.

Alongside the suspended prison sentence and sexual harm prevention order, Coote has been mandated to complete 150 hours of unpaid community service. The judge cautioned, “If you breach this order in any way, or if there are any further offenses, particularly sexual offenses, you will be brought back to court.”

This case has garnered attention and raised significant concerns regarding the responsibilities of those in positions of authority.