The referee accused of pedophilia spent just 18 minutes in the courtroom.
Former Premier League referee David Coote pleaded not guilty to charges of making child pornography during his initial court appearance today at Nottingham Crown Court.
Coote, 43, from Newark, Nottinghamshire, merely confirmed his personal details before entering his not guilty plea. The hearing lasted a mere 18 minutes, with no further statements made.
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The prosecution alleges that Coote created a child pornography video on January 2, 2020. The case was investigated by Nottinghamshire Police after the footage was discovered in February.
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The former official has been released on bail and is scheduled to appear again at Nottingham Crown Court on October 9.
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Coote has refereed extensively, taking charge of 112 Premier League matches, 143 in the Championship, and 30 in the FA Cup, along with four international friendlies.
In December, the Professional Game Match Officials (PGMO) dismissed him after a video surfaced in which he made remarks about then-Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp.
Upcoming Court Hearing
The following month, Coote publicly came out as gay, explaining that he had kept his sexuality private for years out of fear of abuse.
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After his recent court appearance, District Judge Gillian Young granted him conditional bail. He is scheduled to return to Nottingham Crown Court on 9 October for a plea and trial preparation hearing.