Ex-Premier League referee David Coote pleads guilty to making ‘category A’ indecent image of a child

Former Premier League referee David Coote has pleaded guilty to making an incident video of a child.

Coote, who was sacked by refs’ body PGMOL last year, admitted making a category A image, the most serious kind, which was recovered by police in February.

The 43-year-old, who wore a navy suit and black tie, appeared at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court today.

During the hearing in front of Judge Nirmal Shant KC, Coote changed his plea to guilty, having pleaded not guilty to the charge last month.

The judge told Coote, who stood in the dock with his hands clasped in front of him, that she was ordering a pre-sentence report to be carried out before he was to be sentenced.

She said: “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.”

His case was adjourned to December 11 for sentencing.

Coote was arrested by police after FA officials investigating his professional conduct examined his phone and discovered conversations ‘that appeared to indicate Mr Coote had a sexual interest in children’.

They brought the matter to Nottinghamshire Police, who arrested Coote at his home address and seized his laptop, on which the category A image was found. 

At a hearing last month, Ben Payne, prosecuting, said that the matter had come to the police’s attention following the FA’s investigation into Coote and that mobile phones had been examined by a third party. 

‘Two conversations that were of concern appeared to indicate Mr Coote had a sexual interest in children,’ Mr Payne added.

Following a police investigation Payne said that Coote was arrested at his home address and a PGMOL-registered Dell laptop was subsequently seized. 

A Category A video, featuring moving image of a child aged 15 was found and was accessed on the date referenced in the charge.

The laptop was seized on August 12, more than eight months after Coote had been sacked by PGMOL.

Coote, a top-flight and international mainstay, was sacked in December after a video emerged of him making disparaging remarks about ex-Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.

In June, Coote was charged by the Football Association over the comments he made about Klopp, having labelled the former Liverpool boss a ‘German ****’ in the video.

Referencing Klopp’s German nationality constituted an ‘aggravated breach’ of the rules, according to the FA.

Earlier this summer PGMOL chief Howard Webb ruled out a return to officiating for Coote.

‘I think it’d be really difficult for David to come back, I’m afraid to say,’ Webb said.

‘He is somebody that we stay in contact with, somebody who was part of our refereeing family for a long time and served the game as well for a long period of time and I’ve known him personally for many years.

‘So it’s sad what happened with with David, but I would think it would be challenging thing for him to come back.’

Coote expressed remorse for his actions and spoke about being in a dark place at the time the videos were taken. He also said that he had hidden the fact he was gay during his career for fear of subsequent abuse.

‘My sexuality isn’t the only reason that led me to be in that position. But I’m not telling an authentic story if I don’t say that I’m gay and that I’ve had real struggles with hiding that,’ he said.

‘I hid my emotions as a young ref and I hid my sexuality as well – a good quality as a referee but a terrible quality as a human being. And that’s led me to a whole course of behaviours.’

In June, Coote – who first officiated in the Premier League in April 2018 – was spotted delivering packages for courier firm Evri.

In footage obtained by The Sun of a couple’s ring doorbell at their house, the former Premier League referee was seen dropping off a parcel for the company.