Sacked Premier League Referee Under Investigation for Indecent Image Allegation | OneFootball

Coote Under Investigation as Charges Brought

Former Premier League referee David Coote is facing further scrutiny after being charged with making an indecent image of a child. Nottinghamshire Police confirmed that the 43-year-old, from Collingham, was charged on 12 August following an investigation into a video file recovered in February. He is scheduled to appear at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.

Background to Coote’s Fall

Coote was dismissed by the PGMOL in December 2024 after an investigation into a video that allegedly showed him making derogatory comments about Liverpool and their former manager Jurgen Klopp. The FA later handed him an eight-week suspension in August for the same incident.

Photo: IMAGO

UEFA Ban

The former official is also serving a ban from UEFA competitions until 30 June 2026, after photographs surfaced of him snorting a white powder through a bank note while in Germany for Euro 2024.

Continuing Legal Process

Police confirmed that Coote remains on conditional bail. They stated that the charge relates to “acts such as downloading, sharing and saving material,” as part of their investigation.

This is the latest chapter in a turbulent period for Coote, whose reputation has been severely damaged over the past 18 months through disciplinary and now criminal proceedings. The outcome of Thursday’s court appearance will determine the next steps in a case that has already cast a long shadow over refereeing governance.