The world of football has been rocked this week as David Coote, a former Premier League referee, admitted to possessing an indecent image of a 15-year-old boy.
The 43-year-old, once a familiar face on the pitch and at high-profile matches, now faces up to 10 years in prison following the guilty plea at Nottingham Crown Court.
This shocking development has reignited scrutiny over Coote’s past, including a previous investigation that cleared him of similar allegations eight years ago.
Past Investigation Raises Questions
Back in 2017, Coote was investigated after an allegation emerged that he had possessed an indecent image.
The matter involved multiple bodies, including the Professional Game Match Officials (PGMO), the Football Association (FA), and the police.
Telegraph Sport reports that a PGMO staff member and former referee first flagged the allegation after hearing about it from a third party.
Coote was contacted directly by phone, and the matter was escalated to then-head Mike Riley before being referred to the FA and police.
After forensic analysis of the image, police took no action, and Coote returned to refereeing duties.
At the time, Coote primarily officiated Championship matches and lived in West Yorkshire.
He was briefly removed from the officiating list but returned a few weeks later.
Within a year, he was promoted to Premier League duties, even speaking at a junior referees conference in 2018 organised by the FA.
Career Highlights Shadowed by Controversy
Despite the past allegations, Coote’s career continued to flourish.
He was selected to referee the League Cup final in 2023 and served as a VAR during last summer’s Euros.
However, his reputation took a hit in November last year when The Sun published videos showing him making offensive remarks about former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp and appearing to inhale a white powder.
In interviews following the exposé, Coote publicly came out as gay, explaining that he had been fearful of revealing his sexuality earlier in his career.
Recent Charges and Court Proceedings
In September 2025, Nottinghamshire Police charged Coote with making an indecent image of a child after discovering a category A video—the most serious classification—on his laptop.
Initially pleading not guilty at Magistrates Court, Coote later changed his plea to guilty at Nottingham Crown Court on Tuesday.
The offence carries a maximum sentence of 10 years, with Coote’s sentencing scheduled for December.
Following his plea, he has been placed under the notification requirements of the Sex Offender’s Register, with the duration depending on the court’s final sentence.
Judge Issues Stern Warning
Judge Nirmal Shant KC made it clear that Coote could face custody. “As far as you are concerned, you have pleaded guilty to a serious matter,” she told him.
“Whether custody or not will be decided when all the information is before the court. You mustn’t go away with the impression that this automatically means a non-custodial sentence—it doesn’t.”
Coote was released on conditional bail, with strict restrictions: he cannot have contact with anyone under 18, nor reside at a property where minors live.
Football Community Responds
The case has left the football community reeling, especially given Coote’s prominent role in top-tier matches and refereeing at international tournaments.
As the legal process continues, all eyes will be on December when Coote’s sentence is finally delivered, marking a critical moment in the ongoing discussions about safeguarding and accountability in professional sports.