Warning: This article contains discussion of rape and child abuse which some readers may find distressing.
Former Premier League referee David Coote has been charged with making an indecent video of a child.
He is set to appear at Nottingham Magistrates' Court tomorrow (11 September) for the first hearing related to the charge.
The 43-year-old is accused of making one indecent video of a child of category A on 2 January 2020. This charge relates to the most severe classification under UK law and typically shows children being raped or sexually abused by adults.
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And the charge of 'making' refers to activities such as downloading, sharing or saving abuse photos or videos.
Coote was sacked by Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) last December following a leaked video which showed the football ref making derogatory comments about former Liverpool head coach Jürgen Klopp.
This clip (from around July 2020) included a comment about the manager's nationality as well as referring to Liverpool as 's**t'.
And during this summer, the Football Association (FA) sanctioned him with an eight-week suspension for an 'aggravated breach' of rule E3.2, because of the reference he made to Klopp's nationality in the video.
Coote admitted the charge and the FA said he acknowledged his comments were 'crass and inappropriate' as he expressed 'deep remorse'.
He was also banned by UEFA in February until 30 June 2026, with a video having emerged last November of him sniffing white powder while he was on duty at Euro 2024.
In relation to the news of his charge today, Nottinghamshire Police said in a statement: "A suspect is due to appear in court after being charged with making an indecent image of a child.
"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.
Topics: Premier League, Crime, Football
Jess Battison