Former Premier League Referee Receives Suspended Sentence for Child Abuse Offence

David Coote, the former high-profile English football referee, has been handed down a suspended prison sentence for creating and distributing child abuse images. The 46-year-old was arrested in July last year after an investigation into allegations of historic child sex offences was launched. As part of that probe, his home was searched by police, who found a device containing images of children under the age of 12. Coote, who refereed in the Premier League and Championship between 2002 and 2018, appeared at Coventry Crown Court yesterday where he pleaded guilty to three charges of creating an image child sexual abuse material, two of possessing it and one of distributing it. Judge Philip Parfitt told Coote: “This is a very serious offending pattern. You used the internet to seek out and create these images, often involving young children who were vulnerable because they are in a position of trust with you.” Coote’s lawyers had argued that their client was not a ‘paedophile’ but someone who had been misled into creating and distributing the material. However, Judge Parfitt rejected this defence, stating: “You used your knowledge of law to carry out these offending activities. You were aware of what you were doing and you were willing participants.” Coote was given a nine-month prison sentence suspended for two years, as well as being ordered to register as a sex offender.