Former Premier League referee David Coote could be jailed for up to five years if he admits making indecent images of children.
The 43-year-old appeared at Nottingham Crown Court on Tuesday following charges brought by Nottinghamshire Police last month. Couto initially denied the charges when he first appeared in court in August, but has now changed his plea.
Judge Nirmal Shanto KC granted him conditional bail and ordered him to return to court on December 11. Former top officials and FIFA officials were informed by the judge that a pre-sentence report will be compiled ahead of sentencing.
She said: “You have pleaded guilty to a serious matter. Whether this means imprisonment will be determined when all the information is presented to the court. That is why I have ordered a pre-sentence report.”
The charge, to which Coote has pleaded guilty, carries a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment under section 160 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988. The law stipulates that possession of indecent or pseudo-photographs of children can be punished with five years’ imprisonment.
Nevertheless, this crime can result in penalties ranging from community service to three years in prison. Couto was sacked by Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) in December last year after footage leaked of him making comments about former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp in 2020.
The footage remained unconfirmed, but during an investigation by the FA, Couto admitted it was filmed in his lounge in June 2020. Throughout the investigation, Coote insisted his comments did not represent his true feelings towards the former Liverpool manager, claiming he had “deep professional respect” for him.
The former referee also personally apologized to manager Klopp.
PGMOL announced in December that it had terminated Mr Couto’s employment contract, confirming that after an extensive investigation, it had been determined that he was in “material breach of the terms of his employment contract and his position was deemed unsustainable”.
Coote first refereed a Premier League match in 2018 and has since developed into an elite referee, taking charge of Manchester United’s Carabao Cup final victory over Newcastle United in 2023.
The 43-year-old’s last top-flight assignment came in November 2024, when Liverpool beat Aston Villa 2-0. The game marked the end of Coote’s refereeing career after footage of him criticizing the Anfield legend was leaked on social media platforms.
