Former Premier League referee will have to wait until January to know his fate
Nottingham Crown Court has set a new sentencing date for former Premier League referee David Coote, who admitted making indecent images of children earlier this year. The 43-year-old did not appear on Thursday, December 11, when he was supposed to learn his fate.
The Honorable Recorder of Nottingham, Judge Nirmal Shanto KC, adjourned the case until January 8 to allow lawyers to attend in person rather than by video link.
Coote, of Woodhill Road, was first charged on August 12 with making an indecent Category A image on January 2, 2020.
Mr Coote initially denied the charges at a hearing at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on 11 September, but after appearing at Nottingham Crown Court on 14 October he changed his plea to guilty.
read more: Former referee David Coote “was investigated by police and acquitted” of the charges in 2017.read more: Former Premier League referee David Coote faces maximum prison sentence for ‘Category A’ child image
Nottinghamshire Police previously confirmed that its investigation concerned video files recovered by officers in February 2025.
Prior to sentencing, Couto will be released on bail under strict conditions.
He must be supervised at all times when in contact with anyone under the age of 18 and is prohibited from residing at an address where a person under the age of 18 resides.
The former referee was sacked by Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) in December 2024 after making comments about former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp in a video.
In a separate incident, Couto was suspended by UEFA after a video surfaced showing him sniffing a white powder while on duty at Euro 2024.
Couto was first appointed as a Premier League referee in 2018.
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