Former Premier League referee David Coote has been charged with creating an indecent video of a child.
The 43-year-old, dismissed by referees’ body PGMOL last year, is scheduled to appear before Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, September 11.
Coote, from Newark, is accused of making a “category A” indecent video — the most serious classification — on January 2, 2020. The charge involves acts such as downloading, saving, or sharing prohibited material.
In a statement on Tuesday, Nottinghamshire Police said:
“A suspect is due to appear in court after being charged with making an indecent image of a child. David Coote, aged 43, was charged with the offence following an investigation. The charge relates to a video file recovered by officers in February this year. He was charged on August 12 and remains on conditional police bail.”
Coote, once a regular fixture in both Premier League and international officiating, was sacked in December after a video surfaced in which he insulted former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp, using a slur referencing his nationality.
The Football Association later charged Coote over the remarks, calling them an “aggravated breach” of its rules.
PGMOL chief Howard Webb has previously stated that Coote’s return to refereeing would be unlikely, saying: “It would be very difficult for David to come back.”
Coote has expressed remorse over his past behavior, explaining that he struggled with his mental health and concealed his sexuality during his career.
“My sexuality isn’t the only reason I ended up in that position. But I can’t tell my story authentically without saying that I’m gay and had real struggles hiding it,” he said, describing the secrecy as damaging to his personal life and behavior.
