David Coote sentencing date pushed back with ex-Prem ref guilty of indecent child image | Football | Sport
David Coote has been told he must wait until the New Year to discover his sentence after pleading guilty to making an indecent image of a child. The former Premier League referee had been due to find out his fate on Thursday, December 11, but the case was adjourned until Thursday, January 8.
Coote first refereed in the Premier League in April 2018 as he took charge of a clash between Newcastle and West Bromwich Albion. But he was sacked by the PGMOL in December 2024 following the emergence of an unverified video which appeared to show him making X-rated comments about ex-Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp. In October, the 43-year-old then pleaded guilty at Nottingham Crown Court to making an indecent image of a child, before being granted conditional bail.
On Thursday, Judge Nirmal Shant KC, Honorary Recorder of Nottingham, explained that she was adjourning sentencing until January so that Coote’s barrister would be able to appear in person instead of via a video-link, as reported by Nottinghamshire Live.
The former referee, who did not appear in court on Thursday, previously admitted to making a category A image, the most serious kind, which was recovered by police in February.
And he was told by Judge Shant in October: “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 oversaw a number of high-profile football matches throughout his Premier League career and took charge of the Carabao Cup final in 2023 as Manchester United overcame Newcastle at Wembley.
His penultimate game as a Premier League referee came in October 2024 as he officiated a clash between West Ham and Manchester United.
His final Premier League officiating duties followed in November 2024 as refereed Liverpool’s top-flight win against Aston Villa at Anfield.
And following his dismissal, the PGMOL released a statement that read: “Following the conclusion of a thorough investigation into David Coote’s conduct, his employment with PGMOL has been terminated today with immediate effect.
“David Coote’s actions were found to be in serious breach of the provisions of his employment contract, with his position deemed untenable.
“Supporting David Coote continues to be important to us and we remain committed to his welfare. David Coote has a right to appeal the decision to terminate his employment.”
In February, Coote was then handed a ban by UEFA after a video emerged which allegedly showed him snorting a white powder through a bank note while in Germany during Euro 2024.
