Former Premier League Referee David Coote Charged Over Indecent Image of Child

Former Premier League referee David Coote has been charged with making an indecent image of a child.

Coote, 43, from Collingham, is due to appear before Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on Thursday. Nottinghamshire Police said the charge relates to a video recovered by officers in February.

Under the law, making an indecent image of a child can include downloading, sharing or storing abusive photographs or videos. Coote was charged on 12 August and has been released on conditional bail.

The former match official was dismissed by Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) in December, after a video surfaced in which he made abusive remarks about then Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp in 2020.

He also received a ban from UEFA until 30 June 2026 after a separate video emerged showing him apparently snorting a white powder through a banknote while in Germany during Euro 2024.

In January, Coote publicly came out as gay, admitting that years of hiding his sexuality had contributed both to his outburst about Klopp and his apparent drug use.

The Football Association (FA) also handed him an eight-week suspension in August this year in relation to the Klopp video.

A spokesperson for Coote declined to comment when approached by the PA news agency on Wednesday.