Ex-Premier League referee David Coote pleads guilty to making an indecent image of a child

Warning: This article contains discussion of rape and child abuse which some readers may find distressing.

Disgraced ex-Premier League referee David Coote has pleaded guilty at Nottingham Crown Court to making an indecent image of a child.

The former football official was charged with making an indecent video of a child, and appeared in Nottingham Crown Court today (14 October).

The 43-year-old has pleaded guilty to making one indecent video of a child of category A on 2 January 2020.

This charge is under the most severe classification under UK law and it normally depicts a child or children being raped or sexually abused by adults.

'Making' refers to the likes of downloading or saving any media of the abuse.

Coote was granted conditional bail by Judge Shant and told he must appear in court once again on 11 December.

The former referee has pleaded guilty to the charge brought against him (Joe Giddens/PA Wire)

After he pleaded guilty, the judge said a pre-sentence report would be carried out, stating: “You have pleaded guilty to a serious matter. Whether this means custody or not will be decided when all the information is before the court, which is why I have ordered a pre-sentence report.”

Coote was sacked by Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) in December 2024 after a leaked video of the referee insulting then-Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp circulated online.

The clip in question is said to be from around July 2020, including a comment about Klopp's German nationality, while also calling Liverpool 's**t', with the comments going viral on social media.

Coote was handed an eight-week suspension by the Football Association (FA) for an 'aggravated breach' of rule E3.2, regarding the reference he made to Klopp's nationality in the video.

He admitted to the charge, saying that his comments were 'crass and inappropriate' as he expressed 'deep remorse'.

European football governing body UEFA also handed Coote a ban back in February, which extends to 30 June 2026, as another video also emerged last November, showing the Brit sniffing white powder while he was away and officiating at Euro 2024.

The day before his first appearance at Nottingham Magistrates' Court on 11 September, Nottinghamshire Police stated: "A suspect is due to appear in court after being charged with making an indecent image of a child."

Coote was sacked by PGMOL back in December 2024 (James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images)

It went on: "David Coote, aged 43, has been charged with the offence after an investigation by Nottinghamshire Police. The charge relates to a video file recovered by officers in February of this year.

"Coote, of Collingham, was charged on 12 August and is currently on conditional police bail. He is due to appear at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court tomorrow 11 September."

If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence regarding the welfare of a child, contact the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000, 10am-8pm Monday to Friday. If you are a child seeking advice and support, call Childline for free on 0800 1111, 24/7.

If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and wish to speak to someone in confidence, contact the Rape Crisis England and Wales helpline on 0808 500 222, available 24/7. If you are currently in danger or need urgent medical attention, you should call 999.