Former Premier League Referee David Coote Pleads Guilty to Child Image Offence

Published: 14 October 2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online

Former Premier League referee David Coote has admitted to creating an indecent image of a child, in a case that has drawn widespread attention across Britain’s sporting and legal circles. The 43-year-old appeared before Nottingham Crown Court, where he entered a guilty plea to the charge involving a Category A video — the most severe classification of child abuse imagery — discovered by police earlier this year.

Coote, a resident of Collingham in Nottinghamshire, was granted conditional bail pending his sentencing, which has been scheduled for 11 December. Presiding Judge Nirmal Shant KC described the case as “a serious matter,” ordering a pre-sentence report and warning Coote that a prison term remains a distinct possibility once all relevant information is presented to the court. “You must not go away with the impression that this will not lead to a custodial sentence,” the judge stated.

The former referee had initially denied the charge during a previous hearing at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court in September. However, at Tuesday’s brief six-minute hearing, Coote, dressed in a navy suit and black tie, spoke only to confirm his identity and to enter his guilty plea. The court clarified that the charge of “making an indecent image of a child” encompasses downloading, sharing, or saving any media depicting abuse.

David Coote, once regarded as a rising figure among English match officials, saw his refereeing career collapse after a series of controversies. He was dismissed from his position last year when a resurfaced video from 2020 showed him making disparaging remarks about former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp. The Football Association subsequently handed him an eight-week suspension earlier this year over the same incident.

In January, Coote made headlines once more after publicly coming out as gay in an interview with The Sun, where he reflected on his struggles with identity and the pressures of professional football. He admitted that years of concealing his sexuality contributed to his emotional instability and the outburst that ultimately derailed his career.

The current conviction, however, marks a grave turning point for the former official, whose past involvement in Premier League and Championship matches had made him a familiar figure to football fans. Legal experts note that his guilty plea may influence the severity of sentencing, but the nature of the offence — involving a Category A image — is likely to carry serious consequences, including potential imprisonment and registration as a sex offender.

The Football Association and Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) have yet to issue formal statements regarding the plea, though sources within both organizations indicated that Coote has been permanently barred from all officiating and football-related activities.

The scandal has reignited discussions on the personal accountability of sports professionals and the broader responsibility of governing bodies to ensure that those in influential positions uphold the ethical standards expected of them.