Football
Zouma gets community service over “reprehensible” cat attack video
West Ham footballer Kurt Zouma has been ordered to carry out 180 hours of community service and banned from keeping cats for five years.
This was after he was seen kicking and slapping his pet in a disturbing home video posted on Snapchat.
The 27-year-old Frenchman showed no emotion as he was handed the sentence at Thames Magistrates’ Court in east London on Wednesday.
He drew international condemnation after footage emerged of him volleying the pet across his kitchen, before throwing a pair of shoes at it and slapping its head, saying: “I swear I’ll kill it.”
District judge Susan Holdham described the actions as “disgraceful and reprehensible.”
Zouma pleaded guilty last week to two counts of causing unnecessary suffering to a cat, after blaming the family pet for damaging a chair.
Holdham said: “The cat looked up to you to care for its needs.
“On that date in February you did not provide for its needs but you caused unnecessary suffering for your own amusement.”
His two Bengal male cats have since been signed over to be rehomed.
The court was told the “premeditated” attack was filmed by his younger brother, 24-year-old lower-league footballer Yoan Zouma, in February.
It was sent to a woman he was due to go on a date with.
But the woman was so shocked that she called off their meeting, telling him: “I don’t think hitting a cat like that is OK – don’t bother coming today.”
The court heard Yoan had 80 followers on Snapchat, and only five accounts viewed it before it was deleted a few minutes after being posted.
Yoan admitted one count of aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring his older brother to commit an offence.
Sentencing the pair, the district judge said: “Both of you took part in this disgraceful and reprehensible act with this pet cat.
“You must be aware that others look up to you and many young people aspire to emulate you.”
Yoan was ordered to carry out 140 hours’ community service.
The court heard defender Zouma had been subject to racist abuse and threats since the furore over the footage emerged.
He has also lost a “substantial” sponsorship deal with Adidas, was fined by his club and had no longer been picked for the France national team.
But his legal team’s claims in court that seven people are to be prosecuted for abusing Zouma were later dismissed by police.