Former Premier League referee David Coote, who was dismissed by the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) last year, has entered a plea of not guilty to charges involving the creation of an indecent video featuring a minor. The 43-year-old, hailing from Newark, appeared this morning at Nottingham Magistrates Court to face allegations related to a Category A indecent video recorded on January 2, 2020. This category represents the gravest level of offenses, encompassing activities such as downloading, sharing, and storing illicit material.
Coote’s case was the first to be heard in court room 15. His defense team requested that his residential address be withheld from the public record, citing safety concerns, but this motion was denied. Dressed in a blue suit paired with a white shirt and black tie, Coote sat quietly at the back of the courtroom. After confirming his identity and date of birth, he formally entered his plea.
Subsequently, Coote requested that his trial be conducted before a jury at the Crown Court rather than at the Magistrates Court. Prosecutor Ben Payne explained that the investigation originated from the Football Association’s inquiry into Coote’s conduct, which led to a police examination of mobile devices by an independent party. Two conversations flagged during this review suggested Coote exhibited a sexual interest in minors.
Following the police probe, Coote was arrested at his home, and a Dell laptop registered to PGMOL was confiscated. Investigators discovered a Category A video depicting a 15-year-old child, which had been accessed on the date specified in the charge. The laptop was seized on August 12, over eight months after Coote’s dismissal from his refereeing duties.
Mr. Payne noted that the sentencing guidelines for such offenses typically start at a custodial sentence of one year and maintained that the Magistrates Court was an appropriate venue for the trial. However, Coote opted to have his case heard at the Crown Court before a jury. A pre-trial hearing has been scheduled for October 9 at Nottingham Crown Court.
Before leaving the courtroom, Coote was reminded of his bail conditions, which prohibit unsupervised contact with anyone under 18 without prior approval and forbid him from residing with minors.
Coote’s lawyer, Fraser Williamson, opened the hearing by requesting that his client’s address be kept confidential due to threats Coote received during his refereeing career. District Judge Gillian Young rejected this request, stating that while Coote remains a figure of public interest, he is no longer active as a referee and is unlikely to face threats related to past officiating decisions. The judge also expressed that there was no credible risk of serious harm or death.
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