Kurt Zouma pleads guilty to abusing pet cat as security barges reporters outside court | Football | Sport
West Ham United defender Kurt Zouma pleaded guilty to two offences of animal cruelty in court on Tuesday morning. Zouma’s security barged past reporters as the Frenchman appeared at Thames Magistrates Court following a vile video posted online in February.
The 27-year-old arrived at court in a black suit and white shirt underneath umbrellas carried by his security, who barged through a sea of reporters to clear a path from his car to the entrance. He appeared at a first hearing alongside his brother, Yoan Zouma, after the pair’s involvement in shocking footage that emerged on social media on February 6.
Yoan was allegedly behind the camera as he filmed the Hammers centre-back slapping, kicking, throwing objects at and chasing his pet cat around his mansion. The widely was widely condemned by thousands, including his club and manager David Moyes, who garnered criticism for continuing to select him for games in the aftermath.
On Tuesday, Zouma pleaded guilty to two counts of causing “unnecessary suffering to a protected animal, by kicking and slapping a cat”, in contravention of section 4 subsection 1 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006. However, a third charge of failing to “protect the animal from pain suffering injury or disease” in line with section 9 was withdrawn.
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Yoan, who hasn’t played for his club Dagenham and Redbridge since the incident came to light, also pleaded guilty to two counts of “aiding abetting, counselling or procuring Kurt Zouma to commit the offence.”
During the hearing, Thames Magistrates Court heard that Zouma chased the cat around his home, saying, “I’ll hit it” and “I’ll kill it.” There have been widespread concerns about the cats’ welfare, but it is understood that both animals remain under the RSPCA’s care.
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Amid the uproar following the footage’s first emergence earlier this year, Zouma sent out a heartfelt apology for his actions. It read: “I want to apologise for my actions. There are no excuses for my behaviour, which I sincerely regret. I also want to say how deeply sorry I am to anyone who was upset by the video. I would like to assure everyone that our two cats are perfectly fine and healthy.”
He was also fined two weeks’ wages worth £250,000 by West Ham, the maximum possible, which were donated to animal welfare charities, and lost a personal deal with Adidas. The club also split with partners Kissimmee and Vitality after Moyes’ decision to allow him to play.
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