Former Premier League referee David Coote has been handed a suspended prison sentence after a sexual video of a teenage boy was discovered on his personal computer.
A Spectacular Fall from Grace
Coote, aged 43, appeared visibly shaken at Nottingham Crown Court on Thursday as the sentence was delivered. His arms and hands trembled as Judge Shant passed a nine-month prison term, suspended for two years. The judge described the defendant's situation as a 'spectacular fall from grace'.
The court heard that Coote had previously pleaded guilty to making an indecent moving image of a child, categorised as being of the most serious kind. The offence related to a video found on his laptop.
Details of the Offence
Prosecutors detailed that the illicit material was a 2 minute and 11 second video featuring a 15-year-old boy in school uniform. The footage showed the teenager undressing until he was completely naked before performing sexual acts on himself.
In his remarks, Judge Shant directly addressed the sacked official, stating: "Those who commit this sort of offence must understand that they involve real children being abused, with all the consequent damage that comes from it."
Defence and Mitigation
Defence barrister Laura Jane Miller urged the court to consider a suspended sentence coupled with an unpaid work order. She argued this approach would aid rehabilitation and prevent Coote from becoming 'a burden on the public purse' through immediate custody.
Miller told the court her client was 'deeply ashamed of himself and his actions'. She highlighted that the offence occurred around 2 January 2020, approximately six years prior to the sentencing hearing.
The defence also suggested Coote's public persona as a successful top-flight football official masked internal personal struggles. "His outward persona of a very successful football referee did not accurately reflect him as a person because there was an internal struggle in terms of personal difficulties," Miller submitted.
The suspended sentence means Coote will avoid jail provided he does not commit any further offences during the two-year suspension period. The case marks a dramatic and serious conclusion to the former referee's legal proceedings.
