David Coote pleaded guilty to making indecent images of children and was sentenced to nine months in prison, suspended for two years.
The court heard police seized the disgraced former Premier League referee’s electronic equipment and an explicit two-minute video of the 15-year-old, who was initially wearing a school uniform, was discovered on his laptop on January 2, 2020.
Coote was indicted in October on charges related to the most serious type of Category A video recovered by police in February.
The 43-year-old appeared at a sentencing hearing at Nottingham Crown Court on Thursday, where prosecutors announced the clip was discovered following a separate investigation into comments he made about former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp in 2020.
The court heard the former referee gave no comment to relevant questions during a police interrogation in February 2025, and was given a warning the same month after police found cocaine at his home.
KC Judge Nirmal Shanto did not hand down Mr Couto an immediate prison sentence, telling the former referee: “You have suffered a spectacular fall from grace.”
She said videos like the one Couto downloaded included videos of “real children being abused”, adding that those who watch similar videos should be mindful of the “consequential harm that can result”.
Judge Chant said of his state of mind: “You were a loner, and your relationship had recently broken down.
“You had mental health issues and you were taking cocaine. It was your choice, of course, but it had a direct impact on your thinking.”
Couto was allowed access to an area normally reserved for witnesses before exiting the court building through a special exit marked “Probation Liaison Office.”
When asked if he had any comments, he did not say anything. Mr Coote’s lawyer Laura Jane Miller said he was “deeply ashamed of himself”.
She told the court: “For the past six years Mr Coote has been under intense media scrutiny.
“He has expressed remorse to the Probation Service for this offense.
“He said he was deeply ashamed of himself and his actions.”
Prosecutor Jeremy Janes said producing a Category A image could carry a maximum sentence of three years in prison.
The crime of creating indecent images of children refers to acts such as downloading, sharing, and saving photos and videos.
Mr Coote was fired from Professional Game Match Officials Limited in December 2024 after a video of his comments about Mr Klopp came to light.
In August 2025, Couto was suspended for eight weeks by the Football Association over footage of Klopp.
Couto came out as gay in an interview with The Sun in January last year, saying his lifelong struggle to hide his sexuality had led to his comments about Klopp.
