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Former Premier League referee David Coote has pleaded guilty to making an indecent image of a child.
The former official, who gained mass attention last year when a video of him calling former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp a "German c---" emerged online, will be sentenced on December 11.
Coote's guilty plea, issued at Nottingham Crown Court on Tuesday, represents a U-turn after he had originally pleaded not guilty to the charge during a hearing at Nottingham Magistrates' Court in September. The 43-year-old is accused of making one category A video of a child. Category A is the most serious of the categories.
The video was recovered by police in February. He was charged in August following an investigation by Nottinghamshire Police.
Coote spoke only to confirm his name and enter his plea during the six-minute hearing on Tuesday in front of Judge Nirmal Shant KC, who told the ex-referee she was ordering a pre-sentence report to be carried out ahead of the sentencing.
In August, Coote was handed an eight-week suspension by the Football Association over videos that emerged last year, in which he used derogatory language about former Liverpool manager Klopp.
The videos, which were recorded in 2020 but only emerged in 2024, cast the media spotlight firmly onto the official, who has not officiated since.
Coote was fired by PGMOL in 2024.
In February, UEFA banned Coote from officiating in European competitions until June 30, 2026.
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