David Coote Receives Suspended Sentence in Child Abuse Case

The dramatic and troubled career of former Premier League official David Coote has reached a dark conclusion in the halls of justice. On Thursday, Nottingham Crown Court became the final stage for what many have described as a total collapse of a professional life once spent at the pinnacle of global sports. The 43-year-old from Collingham was handed a nine-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, after admitting to the possession of an indecent video involving a child. This conviction marks the most severe blow yet to a reputation that has been disintegrating in the public eye for several years.

The details presented during the sentencing paint a disturbing picture of the evidence found on Coote’s personal laptop. According to court documents, the illicit material was a Category A video—representing the most serious classification under UK law—featuring a 15-year-old boy in a school uniform. The footage, which lasted just over two minutes, was accessed on Coote’s device in early 2020. Judge Nirmal Shant KC was unwavering in her assessment, reminding the former referee that such offenses involve the exploitation of real children and cause lasting, tangible damage that cannot be ignored by the court.

This specific legal trouble surfaced during an unrelated investigation initiated by the Football Association, which eventually led to a police raid on Coote’s Nottinghamshire home. Authorities seized multiple digital devices, and a forensic analysis of a Dell laptop uncovered the hidden video. While Coote initially maintained a plea of not guilty, he eventually admitted to the charge in October of last year. In addition to the suspended sentence, the court imposed a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and mandated 150 hours of community service, placing him under strict legal supervision for the foreseeable future.

During the proceedings, Coote’s defense team attempted to provide context for his actions, citing a period of intense personal turmoil. His lawyer, Laura Miller, argued that the offense did not define Coote’s character but was rather a symptom of an “internal struggle” triggered by the painful breakdown of a relationship. The defense highlighted that six years had passed since the video was viewed and claimed that the former official was making a concerted effort to rebuild his life from the ground up. However, the court also heard evidence of other recent scandals, including a police caution for cocaine possession.

Judge Shant observed that Coote’s trajectory represents a “spectacular fall from grace,” a phrase that aptly captures the series of events that led to his permanent removal from professional football. Before his legal convictions, Coote was already a figure of intense controversy. He was dismissed by the Premier League in 2024 following the leak of a video in which he made disparaging and highly unprofessional comments about former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp. That incident, which occurred in 2020, was the catalyst that first pulled his private life into a harsh public spotlight.

The professional fallout continued to escalate throughout 2024 and into early 2025. Coote faced an eight-week suspension from the FA last August, and UEFA maintained a ban against him until mid-2025 after images surfaced allegedly showing him snorting a white powder during his assignment at Euro 2024. In early 2025, Coote attempted to explain some of his past behavior by publicly coming out as gay, revealing that he had spent his life hiding his true identity. He claimed this internal conflict contributed to the frustration and outbursts that eventually derailed his refereeing career.

The sentencing serves as a final, legal confirmation that Coote’s time in the upper echelons of football is over. The sexual harm prevention order places significant restrictions on his behavior and digital access, ensuring that he remains on the radar of law enforcement. Judge Shant concluded the hearing with a stern warning, making it clear that any breach of the order or any further offenses—specifically of a sexual nature—would result in the immediate activation of his prison sentence. The gravity of the situation was underscored by the judge’s insistence that the victim’s age and the nature of the footage required a serious judicial response.

For the footballing world, the case has sparked difficult conversations regarding the vetting and support systems available for high-pressure roles like officiating. Coote was once responsible for making split-second decisions in matches watched by millions, yet his private life was defined by a series of increasingly dangerous choices. As he begins his two-year period of supervision and unpaid work, his name remains a cautionary tale of how quickly a professional legacy can be erased by criminal behavior and personal instability.