Former Premier League referee David Coote has been handed a suspended prison sentence after a sexual video of a 15-year-old boy was discovered on his laptop.
The Court's Verdict and a 'Spectacular Fall'
At Nottingham Crown Court on Thursday, 8 January 2026, the 43-year-old ex-official was sentenced to nine months in prison, suspended for two years. Passing sentence, Judge Shant told Coote he had experienced a "spectacular fall from grace."
Coote, of Woodhill Road in Collingham, Nottinghamshire, had pleaded guilty in October to a single charge of making an indecent image of a child. The charge relates to activities such as downloading, saving, or sharing abusive material.
Discovery During FA Investigation
The offence came to light during a Football Association (FA) investigation into Coote. Police seized and analysed a number of his devices after arresting him at his home in February 2025.
Officers recovered a category A video – the most serious classification – from his laptop. The court heard in September that the video was of a teenage schoolboy.
Mitigation and Downfall
In mitigation, defence barrister Laura Jane Miller urged the judge to suspend any custodial term. She stated that Coote's successful public persona masked internal struggles with his mental health dating to 2017, following a relationship breakdown.
She told the court his cocaine use began around 2019 and that he had lost his career and reputation. "He has shown remorse for this offending, he is ashamed of himself and his actions," Miss Miller said, adding he had not taken drugs since his arrest and now works in an administrative role.
Coote's refereeing career unravelled in 2024. He was sacked by Professional Game Match Officials Limited in December 2024 after a separate video emerged of him making comments about ex-Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.
He had previously received an eight-week FA suspension over that footage. In January 2025, Coote came out as gay in an interview, suggesting a lifelong struggle with his sexuality contributed to the Klopp rant.
Furthermore, European governing body Uefa banned him until 30 June 2026 after another video showed him snorting a white powder through a bank note during Euro 2024 in Germany.
