Sacked referee David Coote has avoided prison after pleading guilty to making an indecent image of a child.
The 43-year-old former Premier League official was given a sentence of nine months, suspended for two years.
At Nottingham Crown Court Her Honour Judge Nirmal Shant KC delivered the sentence after deciding Coote was at low-risk of reoffending and had taken steps towards rehabilitation.
Coote, sacked last December by refs’ body PGMO, had previously admitted making one indecent image of a child of ‘category A’ on January 2, 2020. Prosecutors said the two minute, 11 second-video showed a teenage boy in school uniform, 15, undress until he was completely naked before performing sexual acts on himself.
Category A is the most series classification and relates to acts such as downloading, sharing and saving material.
The offence carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in custody.
David Coote arrived at Nottingham Crown Court on Thursday morning for sentencing after pleading guilty to making ‘category A’ indecent image of a child
The 43-year-old had previously admitted making one indecent image of a child of ‘category A’ on January 2, 2020
However, he has been spared prison – despite the maximum possible sentence being 10 years
Coote, from Newark, had arrived just after 9am, wearing a suit and navy puffer jacket. He clutched a back sports bag as he stood in the dock waiting to hear his fate.
Prosecuting Coote, Mr Jeremy Janes said: ‘This all came to light following an investigation into his conduct. He had been filmed making comments about the then Liverpool manager which went viral.
‘As a result of that interest the police went to his address in February last year and seized his electronic devices. Those included a Dell laptop and a Toshiba hard drive.
‘The Dell laptop had been connected to the hard drive and had made in the sense of it being viewed on a screen, as in downloaded, a Category A moving image which lasted for 2 mins and 11 secs and is of a 15-year-old boy in a school uniform (performing a sexual act).
‘The defendant was interviewed about these matters and answered no comment. He was cautioned in 2025 for possession of cocaine. The starting point is 12 months. The only aggravating feature is the fact this is a moving image.’
Defending Coote, Miss Laura Miller said: ‘This is a 43-year-old defendant. This offence took place on 2 January 2020 which is some six years ago. At that time the defendant had an outward personal of a very successful referee.
‘That did not, as it often does not reflect him as a person because behind that there was an internal struggle in terms of issues with his mental health which dated back to 2017 following the breakdown of a relationship. Those issues spiralled.
‘Mr Coote’s cocaine use commenced in 2019 and as the probation service have acknowledged that was a coping mechanism. Since January 2020 he has lost his career, his reputation and those have been lost in the midst of intensive media scrutiny.’
‘Some might say he had brought that on himself,’ the judge interjected.’
The former Premier League referee was sacked in December 2024 after a video emerged of him making disparaging remarks about ex-Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp
‘He is ashamed of his actions,’ Miss Miller continued. ‘He has a caution for cocaine possession but no others recorded. This was a single image on multiple devices that were seized.
‘He has used the intervening period well and has been seeing a therapist and psychiatrist. He has not taken cocaine since his arrest some 11 months ago. He has an understanding of the impact of this type of offending. He is at low-risk of re-offending.
‘He is currently in employment in an administrative role. He is trying to rebuild his life step by step and trying to claw back some of his reputation. His life is a far cry from where it was and he knows he will never get that career back.
‘He is trying his best to be an upstanding member of the community. I accept the starting point is 12 months but in terms of mitigating factors, no previous convictions, there is remorse and steps taken to address the underlying difficulties.
‘I completely concede this is a serious offence but from looking at the prospect of rehabilitation and whether there needs to be an immediate custodial sentence I would invite the court to impose a suspended sentence. There would be a sentence hanging over his head and a constant reminder. It would also save him being a burden on the public purse.
‘Work in the community would allow Mr Coote to give back. It would also allow him to remain in employment. He is not someone who will be back before the court. I would invite the court to impose a suspended sentence.’
Judge Shant then told Coote he could remain seated while she handed down her sentence.
‘David Coote you have had a spectacular fall from grace,’ she said. ‘You came to the attention of police following an investigation while employed as a referee by the Football Association.
‘At the time you told the police they would find cocaine, which they did. When you were interviewed you made no comment. Those that commit this sort of offence must understand they involve a real child being abused.
‘In sentencing you I have to have regard to the indecent images guidelines. This was a Category A offence and the starting point for such an offence is one year. The range is 26 weeks to three years.
‘The starting point is aggravated by the fact this is a moving image. The mitigating factors are that you are 43 with no previous convictions other than the caution.
‘I turn to credit for a plea. I propose to give you customary 25 per cent, reducing the sentence to nine months.’
The Judge then addressed whether Coote would go from the dock to prison.
‘The (sentencing) guidelines provide a checklist,’ she said. ‘The matters that support a decision to suspend include whether there is a realistic prospect of rehabilitation and the risk of reoffending.
‘Matters that pull the other way include whether you present a risk to others and the seriousness of the offence.
‘On rehabilitation, the pre-sentence report concludes you committed this offence when you were a lonely man. You had a relationship that had broken down and mental health challenges.
‘You were also consuming cocaine. I accept you no longer use cocaine. You have been working with a psychologist which you now pay for yourself. You have also worked with a therapist. There is also a stability in your personal life and an acknowledgement of your own sexuality which there had not been previously.
‘The pre-sentence report concludes there is a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.
‘Considering your risk to children the court has in mind nearly six years have passed and there is no evidence of you accessing other images. The author of the report says you are at a low risk of committing further offences.
‘Whilst this is a serious offence it cannot be said the only appropriate sentence is custodial. The sentence can be suspended for two years.
‘You will be subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for a significant period. You must do 150 hours of unpaid work. You must for 10 years keep the police informed at all times of your personal particulars, your address and any change of name.
‘The offence is one which may make you subject to being barred from working with children.
‘In addition I am satisfied there should be a Sexual Harm Prevention Order. If you breach this order in any way you will subject to being brought back to court and an immediate custodial sentence.’
Following his guilty plea in October, Coote was made subject to the notification requirements of the Sex Offender’s Register and barred from having contact with a child under the age of 18 or residing at an address where persons under the age of 18 live.
At an earlier hearing Judge Shant had warned Coote that he could face a prison sentence.
The matter initially came to the police’s attention following the FA’s investigation into Coote, which saw mobile phones had been examined by a third party. The Crown Prosecution said that two conversations found on the device ‘appeared to indicate Mr Coote had a sexual interest in children’.
An investigation was launched and Coote was subsequently arrested at his home address. A PGMOL-registered Dell laptop was subsequently seized and a Category A video, featuring moving image of a child aged 15 was found and was accessed on the date referenced in the charge.
Coote, a top-flight and international mainstay, was sacked last December after a video emerged of him making disparaging remarks about ex-Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.
In June, he was charged by the Football Association over the comments, having labelled the former Liverpool boss a ‘German ****’ in the video.
In February he was banned by UEFA after a video emerged of him appearing to snort white powder in a hotel room while on duty at Euro 2024 in Germany.
