Dylan Bettencourt
West Ham United defender Kurt Zouma pleaded guilty to kicking and slapping a cat at the Thames Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.
The 27-year-old was filmed by his brother, Yoan, kicking and slapping one of his cats in a video that went viral in February.
Following widespread public outrage, Zouma was forced to apologise for abusing the cat. His brother admitted to one offence during the hearing.
The Premier League defender was been charged with two counts of causing “unnecessary suffering” to his cat by kicking it in the stomach and slapping it on the head.
The Frenchman was also charged with failing to protect the cat from “pain, suffering, injury or disease”.
Yoan, who plays for non-league side Dagenham & Redbridge, has been charged with two offences after an investigation by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA).
The 24-year-old is charged with two counts of “aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring” his brother to abuse his cat.
The RSPCA in March said they were able to prosecute the brothers.
The court heard that Zouma had since agreed for the cats to be rehomed.
Zouma was fined two weeks’ wages, to the amount of £250,000 (R5 million), and was dropped by several sponsors, including Adidas. The fine was donated to several different animal welfare charities.
Based on the animal cruelty charges Zouma faces, he could spend five years in a United Kingdom prison.
His wife, Sandra, works as a project manager for a charity that assists abused big cats, for which Zouma is an ambassador.
His brother has not featured for his side since 29 January.
The court proceedings were adjourned until a later date in June.
Image source: @TheNational
