Ex-Premier League Referee Coote Charged With Making Indecent Child Image

(FILES) Referee David Coote gestures during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Brighton and Hove Albion at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on March 31, 2024. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP)

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

Coote, 43, was sacked from his officiating role in December after a video showing him making derogatory remarks about former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp in 2020 came to light.

(from L) German football coach and global head of Football at Red Bull, Jurgen Klopp, Paris FC’s French President,Pierre Ferracci, French representative of the Agache family holding company, Antoine Arnault, Pfc’ assistant sport director, Quentin Rauzier and German football player and member of the board of Paris football Club, Mario Gomez pose ahead of the French L1 football match between Paris FC and FC Metz at the Stade Jean-Bouin in Paris on August 31, 2025. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)

Coote, who was charged on August 12 and is on conditional bail, is set to appear at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.

The allegation relates to a video recovered by officers from Nottinghamshire Police in February, the force said.

Coote was also banned from officiating by European governing body UEFA until June 2026 after a different video emerged of him snorting a white powder through a bank note while in Germany for Euro 2024.

In a January interview he came out as gay and said his struggle to hide his sexuality had contributed to bad choices.