Ex-referee sentenced over child image offence
Former Premier League referee David Coote has been given a suspended prison sentence after a video showing the abuse of a child was found on his laptop. The video, which involved a 15-year-old boy, was discovered by police during a search of his home in Nottinghamshire last year.
The 43-year-old was sentenced to nine months in prison, but the judge suspended the term for two years. This means he will not go to jail unless he breaks the law again or fails to follow court rules. He must also carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and is subject to a sexual harm prevention order for the next ten years.
The court heard that the video was saved on his computer in early 2020. During the sentencing, the judge told Coote that he had suffered a "spectacular fall from grace" but reminded him that these crimes involve real children who are seriously harmed. Coote's lawyer said that at the time of the offence, he was struggling with his mental health following a relationship breakup and was fighting an "internal battle" regarding his sexuality.
This legal case follows a series of other scandals for the former referee. Last year, he was suspended from football after a video emerged of him making offensive comments about former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp. He was also filmed using drugs during the Euro 2024 tournament. Coote, who has since come out as gay, now works in an office job and is reportedly trying to rebuild his life.
