West Ham United defender Kurt Zouma is to appear in court after allegedly harming his cat.
The 27-year-old was filmed kicking and slapping one of his pets in March and faces two offences of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal as well as an allegation that he breached animal welfare duty following an RSPCA investigation. Zouma's younger brother Yoan, 23, who plays for Dagenham and Redbridge, is accused of aiding and abetting the causing of unnecessary suffering to a protected animal after filming the incident, which happened on February 6.
The RSPCA removed both cats from Kurt's home after the incident - which was filmed and circulated on Snapchat - and quickly began liaising with Essex Police. West Ham fined the defender two weeks' wages but did not suspend him from Premier League action, though he was dropped by several sponsors including sports giants Adidas.
According to the offences levied against Zouma, he is accused of “causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal, namely a cat, by an act, namely by kicking a cat in the abdomen” as well as "slapping a cat to the head" and“not taking such steps as were reasonable in all the circumstances to ensure that the needs of an animal for which you were responsible, namely a cat, were met to the extent required by good practice in that you did not protect the animal from pain, suffering, injury or disease”.
The brothers are set to appear at Thames Magistrates Court on Tuesday morning for a first hearing where they will likely be asked to enter pleas to the accusations against them.
