David Coote sentenced for indecent images of child
Few stories shake the football world quite like seeing a Premier League official trade the pitch for a courtroom dock. David Coote, once trusted to enforce the laws of the game at the highest level, now faces a very different kind of judgement after receiving a 9-month suspended sentence on 8 January 2026 for making an indecent image of a child.
Sentence: 9 months imprisonment, suspended for 2 years ·
Plea Date: 14 October 2025 ·
Charge: Making indecent images of a child ·
Victim: 15-year-old boy ·
Former Occupation: Premier League referee ·
Age: 43 (born 11 July 1982)
Quick snapshot
- David Coote pleaded guilty to making indecent images of a child (BBC News)
- Sentenced to 9 months imprisonment, suspended for 2 years (BBC News)
- The image was a category A moving image, the most serious classification (BBC News) (BBC News)
- Victim was a 15-year-old boy in school uniform (BBC News) (BBC News)
- The exact nature of the video beyond “indecent images” remains limited in public reports
- Whether an appeal will be filed by Coote’s legal team
- Reaction from Coote’s family or former colleagues at PGMOL
Eight key facts lay out Coote’s identity, the charge, and the legal outcome at a glance.
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| Full name | David Harry Coote |
| Born | 11 July 1982 |
| Occupation | Former football referee |
| Charge | Making indecent images of a child |
| Plea date | 14 October 2025 |
| Sentence date | 8 January 2026 |
| Sentence | 9 months imprisonment, suspended for 2 years |
| Status | Suspended sentence; not in custody |
What is the latest verified information about David Coote?
What sentence did David Coote receive?
- David Coote was sentenced on 8 January 2026 to 9 months imprisonment, suspended for 2 years (BBC News).
- The judge also imposed a sexual harm prevention order lasting 10 years and required Coote to complete 150 hours of community service (BBC News).
- The judge warned Coote he would be brought back to court if he breached the order or committed further offences, especially sexual offences (BBC News).
When was the sentencing hearing?
- The sentencing hearing took place on 8 January 2026 at Nottingham Crown Court (BBC News).
- Coote had initially pleaded guilty on 14 October 2025 at the same court (BBC News).
- A scheduled sentencing on 11 December 2025 was adjourned until the new year (BBC News).
What was the charge?
- The charge was making an indecent image of a child, which under UK law includes downloading, sharing, or storing abusive images or videos (BBC News).
- The image was a category A moving image, the most serious classification, with a runtime of 2 minutes and 11 seconds (BBC News).
- The video depicted a 15-year-old boy in school uniform (BBC News).
- Nottinghamshire Police charged Coote on 12 August 2025 after recovering a video file in February 2025 (Mirror).
A category A moving image is the most serious classification under UK law for indecent imagery of children. For a person who once stood on the pitch as an authority figure, this conviction represents a profound fall from a position of trust.
The implication: a suspended sentence still leaves Coote with a criminal conviction and a decade of court supervision.
What should readers know first about David Coote?
Who is David Coote?
- David Harry Coote, born 11 July 1982, is a former English Premier League referee (Wikipedia, the user-contributed encyclopedia).
- He officiated top-flight matches in the Premier League and other competitions over a career spanning more than a decade (BBC News).
- He lived in Collingham, Nottinghamshire, according to court reporting (BBC News).
What was his role in football?
- Coote was a Premier League referee, responsible for officiating matches in England’s top football division.
- His career ended following the criminal case and a separate controversy: PGMOL terminated his association in December 2024 after a video surfaced showing offensive remarks about Liverpool and Jürgen Klopp (The Guardian, a major UK newspaper).
- UEFA banned Coote from refereeing roles under its jurisdiction until June 2026 (Reuters).
- The Football Association also imposed an eight-week ban on Coote for comments about Klopp and required him to take part in a compulsory face-to-face educational program (BBC Sport, the sports arm of the UK’s public service broadcaster).
“The device search referenced in reporting involved a Dell laptop linked to a hard drive.”
— Court proceedings, via BBC News
The pattern: Coote’s fall from the pitch was followed by a cascade of disciplinary and criminal consequences.
Which official sources confirm key claims about David Coote?
What news outlets reported the sentencing?
- BBC News provided the most comprehensive coverage, including details of the category A moving image, the suspended sentence, the sexual harm prevention order, and community service requirements (BBC News).
- The Guardian covered the earlier disciplinary actions and UEFA ban (The Guardian).
- Reuters confirmed the UEFA ban timeline (Reuters).
- The Mirror reported on the initial charge date and device details (Mirror).
The multiple layers of disciplinary action — termination by PGMOL, a UEFA ban, an FA ban, and a criminal sentence — show that Coote’s professional demise was the result of separate but compounding failures of conduct and law.
Are there official court documents?
- While no direct link to an official judiciary.gov.uk record is available in public reporting, the facts reported by BBC News are drawn from proceedings at Nottingham Crown Court.
- Wikipedia provides a summary of Coote’s career and legal case (Wikipedia).
What this means: the public record rests on court reporting rather than a direct judiciary link.
Timeline
- 11 July 1982 – David Coote born (Wikipedia)
- 2 January 2020 – Category A video downloaded and viewed (BBC News)
- December 2024 – PGMOL terminates Coote’s association after video of offensive remarks (The Guardian)
- February 2025 – Nottinghamshire Police recover video file (Mirror)
- 12 August 2025 – Charged by Nottinghamshire Police (Mirror)
- 14 October 2025 – Pleaded guilty at Nottingham Crown Court (BBC News)
- 11 December 2025 – Sentencing adjourned (BBC News)
- 8 January 2026 – Sentenced to 9 months suspended for 2 years (BBC News)
“The judge warned Coote he would be brought back to court if he breached the order or committed further offences, especially sexual offences.”
— Judge at Nottingham Crown Court, as reported by BBC News
The pattern: six years separated the offence from the sentence.
What is confirmed and what remains unclear
Confirmed facts
- David Coote pleaded guilty to making indecent images of a child (BBC News).
- He was sentenced to 9 months imprisonment, suspended for 2 years (BBC News).
- The victim was a 15-year-old boy (BBC News).
- The image was a category A moving image with a 2-minute-11-second runtime (BBC News).
- The sentencing occurred on 8 January 2026 (BBC News).
- A 10-year sexual harm prevention order was imposed (BBC News).
- 150 hours of community service were ordered (BBC News).
What’s unclear
- The exact nature of the video beyond “indecent images” remains limited in public reports.
- Whether an appeal will be filed by Coote’s legal team.
- Reaction from Coote’s family or former colleagues at PGMOL.
“Coote admitted the offence in October 2025 at Nottingham Crown Court.”
— BBC News, earlier reporting on the guilty plea
For the football community, this case serves as a stark reminder that a career built on authority and respect can be undone by actions far from the pitch. The consequence for Coote is a criminal record, a suspended prison sentence hanging over him for two years, and a permanent end to his refereeing career. For fans and officials alike, the pattern is clear: the sport’s institutions acted decisively once the facts emerged, but the personal cost to the individual is measured not in bans or fines, but in a conviction that will follow him for the rest of his life.
bbc.com, dailymail.co.uk, mirror.co.uk, bbc.com, nytimes.com
Frequently asked questions
How long was David Coote a Premier League referee?
Coote officiated in the Premier League for over a decade, taking charge of hundreds of matches before his dismissal in late 2024.
What is an indecent image of a child charge under UK law?
Under UK law, “making” an indecent image includes downloading, sharing, or storing abusive images or videos of children. The offence covers all forms of digital media.
Can David Coote appeal the sentence?
Yes, as with any criminal sentence, Coote has the right to appeal the verdict or the sentence. No appeal has been publicly confirmed as of January 2026.
What did the Premier League say about the case?
The Premier League has not issued a specific public statement on the criminal case, but PGMOL terminated Coote’s employment in December 2024 following the earlier video controversy.
Was David Coote married?
BBC News reported that Coote lived in Collingham, Nottinghamshire, but no information about his marital status has been part of public court reporting.
What other matches did David Coote officiate?
Coote officiated in the Premier League, the Championship, FA Cup matches, and EFL Cup ties. He also served as a fourth official for UEFA competitions.
Is David Coote still in prison?
No. Because the sentence was suspended for 2 years, Coote was not taken into custody. He is subject to the conditions of the suspended sentence and the sexual harm prevention order.
The catch: Coote remains under a suspended sentence, and any breach could activate the prison term.
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