Former Premier League Referee David Coote Faces Sentencing for Possession of Indecent Child Abuse Video
David Coote, a former Premier League referee, is facing sentencing for possessing an indecent child abuse video found on his device. The 43-year-old ex-official from Collingham, near Newark, Nottinghamshire, admitted to the charge in October. The video, classified as category A, was discovered during a Football Association (FA) investigation. Coote's arrest and subsequent analysis of his devices revealed the incriminating material. He is scheduled to be sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court this Thursday.
Coote's guilty plea pertains to the creation of an indecent image of a child, which encompasses activities like downloading, sharing, or storing abusive photos or videos. The FA's inquiry into Coote led to the discovery of the video, prompting a thorough examination of his electronic devices. Coote's dismissal by Professional Game Match Officials Limited in December 2024 was unrelated to the child abuse video. Instead, it was due to the emergence of a video featuring derogatory comments he made about former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp in 2020.