Sacked Premier League referee David Coote has been sentenced to nine months in prison, suspended for two years, after pleading guilty to making an indecent image of a child.
The 43-year-old was sentenced on Thursday at Nottingham Crown Court, where prosecutors told the court that police recovered an illegal video from one of his electronic devices during an investigation. The offence related to a category A image, the most serious classification under the law.
Coote was charged in October following police investigations that began earlier in the year. The court heard that the material was discovered during a wider probe linked to comments he made about former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp in 2020.
During sentencing, prosecutors noted that Coote answered “no comment” during police questioning in February 2025. The court also heard that cocaine was found at his home during the same period, for which he was cautioned.
In sparing him an immediate custodial sentence, Judge Nirmal Shant KC described the case as a “spectacular fall from grace,” stressing that offences involving indecent images cause real harm and involve the abuse of children.
The judge also referenced Coote’s personal circumstances at the time, including mental health struggles, the breakdown of a relationship, and substance abuse, noting that while these factors were considered, they did not excuse his actions.
Coote left the court via a private exit and declined to comment. His barrister, Laura Jane Miller, told the court that he was deeply ashamed and had shown remorse, adding that he had endured intense media scrutiny for several years.
Prosecutor Jeremy Janes explained that the offence carries a maximum possible sentence of three years’ imprisonment under the law.
Coote was dismissed by Professional Game Match Officials Limited in December 2024 after footage of controversial comments about Jurgen Klopp surfaced. He was later handed an eight-week suspension by the Football Association in August 2025 over the same incident.
In a separate interview in January last year, Coote publicly spoke about his sexuality, saying personal struggles had contributed to some of his past behaviour.
