Ex-Premier League referee David Coote admits child image offence

Former Premier League referee David Coote has pleaded guilty to creating an indecent image of a child.

The 43-year-old appeared at Nottingham Crown Court on Tuesday in relation to an allegation involving category A video, the most serious type seized by police in February.

He was charged in August following an investigation by Nottinghamshire Police.

Coote, of Woodhill Road, Collingham, Nottinghamshire, was granted conditional bail and is due to appear in court again on December 11.

He had previously pleaded not guilty to the charges at the hearing held at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on 10 September.

Coote, wearing a navy blue suit and black tie, spoke only to confirm his name and enter his defense during the six-minute hearing before Judge Nirmal Shant KC.

He was sacked last year after comments made in former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp’s 2020 video emerged.

The judge said he ordered Coote to prepare a pre-sentence report before sentencing.

Judge Nirmal Shant KC told the court: “You have pleaded guilty to a serious matter. Whether this will amount to custody or not will be decided when all the information is before the court, which is why I have requested a pre-sentence report.”

In August this year, the Football Association gave Coote an eight-week suspension due to images of Klopp.