Ex-Premier League referee pleads not guilty to charge of making indecent video of a child

Former Premier League referee David Coote has pleaded not guilty to a charge of making an indecent video of a child. The 43-year-old, from Newark, appeared before Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on Thursday. Coote, who was dismissed by referees’ body PGMOL in 2024, faces an accusation of making one “category A” video of a child on January 2, 2020. Category A offences are considered the most serious, involving acts such as downloading, sharing or saving indecent material. Ben Payne, prosecuting, told the court that the matter came to light during an FA investigation into Coote, when mobile devices were examined by a third party. He also added that following a police investigation, Coote was arrested at his home, where two laptops were seized, as per AFP. A video involving a 15-year-old child was subsequently found. Payne said that that the “starting point for sentencing was a year in custody” and said the case was suitable for Magistrates’ Court. However, Coote used his right for a jury trial and requested the matter be sent to Crown Court. A pre-trial hearing at Nottingham Crown Court has been set for October 9. Earlier, defence solicitor Fraser Williamson applied to restrict publication of Coote’s home address, citing safety concerns following threats he had received during his officiating career. District Judge Gillian Young rejected the application. Coote remains on bail under conditions that prohibit him from having unsupervised contact with anyone under 18 or residing in a household with a minor without approval.