Former Premier League Referee Receives Suspended Sentence for Child Image Offense

A former Premier League referee, David Coote, has been handed a nine-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, after admitting to creating an indecent image of a child. The sentencing came after police discovered an explicit video on his laptop, which showed a 15-year-old boy. The incident led to Coote being charged in October with a category A offense, the most severe kind. The 43-year-old appeared in Nottingham Crown Court, where it was revealed that a separate investigation into comments he made about Jurgen Klopp in 2020 led to the discovery of the video. During a police interview in February 2025, Coote answered 'no comment' to relevant questions and was later cautioned for possessing cocaine. Judge Nirmal Shant KC spared Coote an immediate prison term, stating that he had experienced a 'spectacular fall from grace.' The judge emphasized that such videos involve real children being abused and that viewers should consider the harm caused by such actions. Coote's mental health struggles and recent relationship breakdown were also taken into account. His barrister, Laura Jane Miller, expressed that Coote was 'deeply ashamed' of his actions. The offense of creating a category A image can result in a maximum sentence of three years in prison. Coote was previously sacked by Professional Game Match Officials Limited in December 2024 and received an eight-week suspension from the Football Association in August 2025. He had also spoken publicly about his struggles with his sexuality in an interview with The Sun.