David Coote Pleads Not Guilty to Indecent Image Charge
Former Premier League referee David Coote has pleaded not guilty to making an indecent image of a child. David Coote's court appearance has sparked widespread interest.
Coote was charged on August 12 following an investigation by Nottinghamshire Police, which recovered a video file...
Former Premier League referee David Coote has pleaded not guilty to making an indecent image of a child. The 43-year-old appeared at Nottingham Magistrates' Court on Thursday, where he spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth, and enter his plea during the 18-minute hearing.
Coote was charged on August 12 following an investigation by Nottinghamshire Police, which recovered a video file in February. The charge relates to activities such as downloading, sharing, or saving abuse photos or videos, categorized as a Category A offense, the most serious level.
The former referee's troubles began in December when he was sacked by Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) after a video surfaced showing him making derogatory comments about former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp. Additionally, UEFA banned him from officiating until June 30, 2026, following another video that appeared to show him snorting a white powder through a banknote during Euro 2024.
Coote was granted conditional bail and is due to appear at Nottingham Crown Court on October 9 for a plea and trial preparation hearing. In January, Coote publicly came out as gay, stating that his struggle to hide his sexuality had contributed to his past mistakes.
Former Premier League referee David Coote has pleaded not guilty to making an indecent image of a child at Nottingham Magistrates' Court. pic.twitter.com/cWqIIBD9PM
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) September 11, 2025
David Coote, a 43-year-old former Premier League referee, has pleaded not guilty to charges of making indecent images of children. The allegations against him involve a video recovered by police in February, classified as a Category A offense, the most serious level. This charge relates to actions such as downloading, saving, or sharing illegal material, even if the content was produced elsewhere.
Coote was granted conditional bail and is set to appear at Nottingham Crown Court on October 9 for a plea and trial preparation hearing. The legal definition of “making” an indecent image is broad, encompassing not just creating content but also storing, viewing, or distributing it in a way that results in a copy being stored on a device.
Key Details:
Charge: Making indecent images of children (Category A offense)
Next Court Appearance: October 9 at Nottingham Crown Court
Bail Status: Conditional bail granted
Potential Sentence: Category A offenses can range from 2 to 5 years' custody
It's worth noting that indecent image offenses are taken seriously in the UK, with laws in place to protect children from exploitation and abuse. The courts consider various factors when determining sentences, including the category of images, the number of files, and the offender's level of technical involvement.
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