West Ham star gets community order for playing feline footie
West Ham star Kurt Zouma was given a 12-month community order to carry out 180 hours unpaid work today for kicking his Bengal cat in the stomach ‘for his amusement’ and slapping another pet on the head.
The 27-year-old French international was forced to apologise after harrowing footage of him booting the cat ‘like a football’ was shared by his younger brother Yoan, 24, on Snapchat.
Thames Magistrates’ Court heard the video went viral on social media in February and sparked a spate of copycat attacks.
The defender admitted two offences under the Animal Welfare Act.
District Judge Susan Holdham told him: ‘Your guilty pleas reflect the roles that you played.
‘That cat looked to you to care for its needs but on that date in February you caused unnecessary suffering for your own amusement.’
After hearing he had been docked £250,000 wages by the Hammers following the sickening incident the judge had earlier observed: ‘I’ve read that’s two weeks’ salary.’
Dagenham & Redbridge centre-back Yoan admitted aiding and abetting the causing of unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.
He was given a 12 months community order to carry out 140 hours unpaid work.
Both brothers were also disqualified from caring or keeping cats for five years.
Hazel Stevens, for the RSPCA, had said Kurt launched the ‘premeditated’ attack on February 6 after one of two Bengal cats broke a vase and damaged a chair in his £2m home.
The footage featured the caption ‘ça commence’, French for ‘it’s starting’ as Zouma picked up one of the cats.
Kurt drops it, then kicks it in the stomach and across the floor.
As the terrified pet races away, Yoan is heard laughing.
The footage is littered with laughing emojis as Zouma throws a shoe at one cat.
He is heard saying; “I’ll hit it — you want a fight? Where is it? Where is it?”
Zouma adds: “I’ll kill it, I swear I’ll kill it.”
His distressed son is seen picking up the Bengal before his father says: “Come closer, come closer.”
Zouma is filmed slapping the cat across the head, sending it sprawling across a worktop before it runs away.
Yoan ended the clip by saying of the cat: ‘Damn it. Poor guy.’
An independent vet expert confirmed that kicking the cat in the abdomen would have caused ‘soft tissue trauma and discomfort’.
The blow caused ‘unnecessary suffering and fear’.
The prosecutor added: ‘The cat was brought into the kitchen where it was then kicked. The chasing and the throwing starts.
‘He already has a state of mind that he will do further harm to the cat.’
Ms Stevens said there has been a ‘spate of people hitting cats and posting it on various social media sites’ since the footage was shared.
‘Treating family pets in this way does not demonstrate good role model behaviour.
‘They both have a position of responsibility as footballers. They are role models whose actions are copied.’
Days after the video was shared West Ham fined Kurt two weeks’ wages – reportedly £250,000 – and the payment was donated to nine different animal welfare charities.
Kurt – who is an ambassador for a French animal charity – issued an apology and said in a statement: ‘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.
‘They are loved and cherished by our entire family, and this behaviour was an isolated incident that will not happen again.’
Yoan was temporarily suspended by Dagenham & Redbridge amid the backlash before returning to the team in March.
He also issued an apology published on Dagenham & Redbridge’s official website, stating: ‘I deeply regret my involvement in the video that has been widely circulated and unreservedly apologise, not only for my actions, but for the upset and distress this will have caused to so many people.
‘I am now taking time to reflect on what I have done but wish to assure everyone that this was an isolated incident and not something that I am proud of.’
The cats were taken into the care of the RSPCA where an initial check-up from a vet confirmed they had not suffered any injuries.
The animal welfare charity had said in a statement: ‘Following a full and thorough investigation, we have started the process of bringing prosecution proceedings against Kurt Zouma and Yoan Zouma under the Animal Welfare Act.
‘The two cats continue to be cared for by the RSPCA. We will be in a position to release more information once a court date is confirmed.’
Trevor Burke, QC, defending Kurt Zouma, said the cats were ‘clearly well-kept.’ Confirming that the cats were registered and had had all their inoculations.
The West Ham star appeared in court in his full name of Kurt Happy Zouma, wearing a dark blue suit and stared intently at the public gallery as he left the dock.
He had admitted two charges of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.
Yoan admitted one charge of aiding and abetting the causing of unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.
Judge Holdham referred to the brothers as ‘disgraceful’ for their roles in the offences.
‘Thankfully the cat wasn’t injured but would have suffered distress, fear and anxiety.
‘When the cat is kicked you appear to be wearing some kind of footwear.
‘The cat is slapped not only in the presence of a child but the child himself, your son, is holding the cat.
‘You are a public figure and you must be aware that others look up to you and many aspire to emulate you.
Judge Holdham did however acknowledge that this was an isolated incident and the brothers had shown ‘genuine remorse.’
It was also noted how the brothers had been affected by the incident already.
Kurt has lost a sponsorship deal with Adidas and both brothers had experienced ‘violent messages on social media.’
These included death threats and threats of violent abuse to them both and their family members.
In a statement release by West Ham United the club said:’West Ham United wishes to make clear that we condemn in the strongest terms any form of animal abuse or cruelty.
‘This type of behaviour is unacceptable and is not in line with the values of the Football Club.
‘Within 48 hours of the footage emerging, we fined Kurt the maximum available to the club.
‘Every single penny of this money is now with a number of deserving charities, all dedicated to animal welfare.
‘Kurt admitted at the earliest opportunity that what he did was wrong. He has apologised without reservation.
‘We hope that now the court has reached its decision, everyone will allow Kurt the chance to learn from his mistake and move on.’
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