David Coote, who pleaded guilty to making indecent images of children, has been told he will have to wait until the new year to be sentenced. The former Premier League referee was due to learn his fate on Thursday, December 11, but the case was adjourned until Thursday, January 8.
Coote refereed his first Premier League match in April 2018, when Newcastle played West Bromwich Albion. However, he was fired by PGMOL in December 2024 after an unverified video appeared to show him making radical comments about former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp. In October, the 43-year-old pleaded guilty to making indecent images of children at Nottingham Crown Court and was subsequently granted conditional bail.
The Honorable Recorder of Nottingham, Judge Nirmal Shanto KC, explained on Thursday that he was adjourning sentencing until January to allow Coote to appear in person rather than via video link, Nottinghamshire Live reported.
The former referee did not appear in court on Thursday but previously admitted making the category A images, the most serious type, which were recovered by police in February.
Then, in October, Judge Chant told him: “You have pleaded guilty to a serious matter. Whether this means imprisonment will be determined once all the information has been submitted to the court. That is why I have ordered a pre-sentence report.”
Coote has overseen a number of high-profile football matches throughout his Premier League career, including taking charge of Manchester United’s Carabao Cup final against Newcastle at Wembley in 2023.
His penultimate game as a Premier League referee was in October 2024, when he officiated West Ham against Manchester United.
His last Premier League refereeing assignment followed officiating Liverpool’s top-flight victory over Aston Villa at Anfield in November 2024.
Following his dismissal, PGMOL issued the following statement: “Following the results of a thorough investigation into David Coote’s conduct, his employment with PGMOL has been terminated effective today.
“David Coote’s actions were found to be in material breach of the terms of his employment contract and his position was deemed untenable.
“Supporting David Coote remains important to us and we remain committed to his welfare. David Coote has the right to appeal the decision to terminate his employment.”
In February, Couto was suspended by UEFA after a video surfaced of him allegedly inhaling white powder from banknotes while in Germany during Euro 2024.
