Former Premier League referee David Coote has been handed down a suspended sentence after being found in possession of a disturbing video featuring a 15-year-old boy. The 43-year-old was charged with making a category A video, which authorities classify as the most serious form of abuse, and prosecutors argued that he had shown no remorse for his actions.
The video, which was discovered on Coote's laptop during a police investigation, depicts the underage boy undressing and engaging in explicit self-acts. Coote's defense team claimed that he was struggling with personal issues and mental health problems at the time of the offense, but prosecutors countered that this excuse did not justify his actions.
Judge Shant handed down a 10-year sexual harm prevention order, which restricts Coote from making contact or communicating with children, and also ordered him to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work. The judge emphasized the severity of the offense, stating that it involves real children being abused, with devastating consequences for their well-being.
Coote's recent termination from his role as a referee was not directly related to this incident, but rather due to another controversy surrounding comments he made about Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp. However, the police investigation into Coote's laptop revealed that the disturbing video had been stored on it since January 2020.
The judge took Coote's personal struggles into account when imposing a suspended sentence, suggesting that he may be eligible for rehabilitation and treatment rather than imprisonment. Despite this leniency, Coote was visibly shaken as he left court without commenting on his sentence.
The video, which was discovered on Coote's laptop during a police investigation, depicts the underage boy undressing and engaging in explicit self-acts. Coote's defense team claimed that he was struggling with personal issues and mental health problems at the time of the offense, but prosecutors countered that this excuse did not justify his actions.
Judge Shant handed down a 10-year sexual harm prevention order, which restricts Coote from making contact or communicating with children, and also ordered him to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work. The judge emphasized the severity of the offense, stating that it involves real children being abused, with devastating consequences for their well-being.
Coote's recent termination from his role as a referee was not directly related to this incident, but rather due to another controversy surrounding comments he made about Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp. However, the police investigation into Coote's laptop revealed that the disturbing video had been stored on it since January 2020.
The judge took Coote's personal struggles into account when imposing a suspended sentence, suggesting that he may be eligible for rehabilitation and treatment rather than imprisonment. Despite this leniency, Coote was visibly shaken as he left court without commenting on his sentence.
just saw the news about David Coote and I'm totally shook 
10 years is a looong time to be under supervision but I guess it's better than jail 
. Can't believe some dude with a bad day has this kind of footage on his laptop... that's just horrific 
. Mental health issues or not, you don't take the law into your own hands like that 
. Glad he's getting help, but still gotta feel for the kid in the video 
. Anyways, gonna keep an eye out for updates on this story 
I mean, can you believe what happened to David Coote? He's a former Premier League referee who was involved in some super serious stuff. It's just so sad that this 15-year-old boy had to go through all that and Coote's behavior is just... no excuse whatsoever 
I mean, if you're struggling, there are so many resources available to help. Coote could have sought help instead of putting himself in a situation like this.
But I guess the judge felt it was necessary considering the severity of the offense. 
What do you guys think about this whole situation?
. And yeah, it's even worse that he was a referee – kids look up to those guys and this guy screws it all up 
. I guess we'll have to see how he gets on with his treatment and rehabilitation – hope he's learning some real lessons 
.
I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that David Coote, a former Premier League referee, is now facing charges related to possessing a disturbing video of a 15-year-old boy. It's just so... messed up 
. I'm not sure if 150 hours of unpaid work really cuts it, considering what Coote did was so serious 
. It's also frustrating that he'll only be eligible for rehabilitation and treatment rather than imprisonment. I guess you can't punish someone forever, but still...