Former Premier League referee David Coote on Tuesday morning entered a guilty plea to a charge of making an indecent image of a child. The admission came at Nottingham Crown Court, where Coote, aged 43, confirmed his identity and changed his plea from not guilty to guilty.
The charge against Coote relates to a “category A” video file, regarded as the most serious classification of indecent images, involving sexual abuse material.
Evidence presented to the court indicates that the file was recovered by police during a seizure and analysis of his electronic devices in February. At his previous hearing in Nottingham Magistrates’ Court, Coote had denied the allegation, but on Tuesday he reversed that position.
During the hearing before Judge Nirmal Shant KC, Coote, dressed in a navy suit and black tie, spoke only to confirm his name and enter his guilty plea.
The judge subsequently granted conditional bail and ordered a pre-sentence report, 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 is due to return to court on December 11 for sentencing.
Coote’s fall from prominence in refereeing has been stark. Before this legal scandal, he was dismissed by the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) in December 2024 after a video circulated showing him making derogatory remarks about then-Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp.
The remarks included use of racial or demeaning language, causing severe reputational damage and prompting both FA discipline and calls for his removal. In August of this year, Coote had been handed an eight-week suspension by the Football Association over the Klopp video and was also directed to attend a face-to-face education programme.
This was not the only controversy swirling around Coote before the image charges emerged. UEFA had banned him from refereeing activity until June 2026, citing breaches of conduct and reputational damage to the sport. In January 2025, Coote publicly revealed that he is gay, and he attributed some of his prior reckless behavior—in particular the rant about Klopp—to a long, painful struggle with hiding his sexuality.
He said that the burden of shame and secrecy contributed to mental health difficulties and poor decisions. In that same interview, he apologized for the actions that led to his sacking and acknowledged the need for self-reflection.
While Coote once presided over more than 100 top-flight English matches as well as international assignments, his career now lies in tatters. His tally included 112 Premier League games, 143 in the Championship, 30 FA Cup matches, and four international friendlies.
The fall for a once-respected referee raises painful questions about the pressures facing match officials, the role of personal struggles in misconduct, and the oversight of governing bodies.
Prosecutors told the court that the nature of the file and the circumstances of its retrieval underscore the severity of the offense, while defense counsel may argue mitigating factors when the sentencing phase begins.