Former Premier League Referee David Coote Confesses to Child Image Offense
Former Premier League referee David Coote has admitted to a serious offense involving the making of an indecent image of a child. The 43-year-old appeared before Nottingham Crown Court to face charges related to a category A video, the most severe type involving such offenses. Police recovered the evidence in February.
Court Proceedings and Bail
Coote, who resides on Woodhill Road in Collingham, Nottinghamshire, was granted conditional bail following his court appearance. He is scheduled to return on December 11. During the proceedings, Judge Nirmal Shant KC requested a pre-sentence report. The judge commented on the gravity of the matter, indicating that custody remains a possibility based on all relevant information.
Details of the Offense
The court was informed that Coote transferred the indecent video from a hard drive to a laptop on January 2, 2020. Initially, he pleaded not guilty during a hearing at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on September 10.
- Court: Nottingham Crown Court
- Date of Offense: January 2, 2020
- Initial Plea: Not guilty, changed to guilty
- Scheduled Ruling Date: December 11
Background and Recent Developments
Coote’s career took a downturn last year when he was dismissed after controversial remarks about former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp surfaced. Earlier this year, he received an eight-week suspension from the Football Association due to the Klopp-related footage.
Additionally, in January, Coote publicly came out as gay in an interview with The Sun, revealing that concealing his sexuality had significantly affected his life and contributed to his outburst regarding Klopp.
The charge against Coote highlights serious legal implications related to child abuse imagery, encompassing actions such as downloading, sharing, or saving abusive content.
Judge Shant KC emphasized the seriousness of Coote’s guilty plea and warned against underestimating the potential consequences, which could include imprisonment.
