Kurt Zouma's Cat-Kicking Video Has Been Seen Worldwide As The West Ham Star Pleads Guilty
He's in hot water.
A woman blew the whistle on Kurt Zouma's cat-kicking video when she saw it on his brother's Snapchat while he was trying to arrange a date with her, the court heard, as the West Ham star pleaded guilty to animal cruelty.
Premier League footballer Kurt Zouma has confessed to kicking and slapping his pet cat in a viral video that triggered a series of similar animal cruelty incidents, the court heard.
The shocking incident emerged after a woman who had been due to go on a date with Kurt's brother Yoan saw the video on his Snapchat, prompting her to raise the alarm and cancel her date.
The woman, who was not named, told Yoan Zouma she 'did not wish to associate' with anyone who found his brother's actions amusing.
The West Ham United defender pleaded guilty to two counts under the Animal Welfare Act when he appeared at Thames Magistrates' Court in east London on Tuesday morning. Zouma, 27, was required to apologize after distressing footage was filmed and shared by his younger brother Yoan, 24, who also confessed to one offense during the hearing.
Prosecutors also told the court that the video triggered a spate of copycat attacks that were filmed and shared online, sparking outrage from advocates.
The court was shown disturbing video of the incident, filmed at Zouma's home and posted on Snapchat by his brother on February 6. It was later seen by a woman who had been messaging Yoan, prompting her to raise the alarm. Zouma could be seen kicking the Bengal cat across his kitchen before throwing a pair of shoes at it and more.
Prosecutor Hazel Stevens informed the court that Kurt Zouma could be heard saying, 'I swear I'll kill it, I swear I'll kill it.' Ms. Stevens stated the 40-second clip appeared to have been filmed after the cats were deemed responsible for damaging a chair in the home.
She said, 'Kurt Zouma is determined to chastise or enact some sort of retribution for the damage caused.'
Ms. Stevens added, 'This is a scene that can only be described as shocking. He did not chastise the cat where it was but brought it into the kitchen and kicked it like a football.'
The court heard that the young woman who initially reported the footage was so appalled she canceled a date with Yoan Zouma, writing, 'I do not believe that is okay. The cat does not know what it is doing. I do not want to associate with people who find that amusing, especially in front of a child. You must take care of that stuff, particularly with your family being who they are.'
Footage showed Kurt Zouma recording the cat sitting on a chair and approaching it with a slipper before running at the cat. While holding the cat at waist height, Zouma 'drops the cat, kicks it in the stomach with his left foot, and another cat can be seen escaping,' said Ms. Stevens.
Kurt could be heard laughing in the background while Yoan posted the video with laughing emojis. Kurt was heard saying, 'I'll hit it, you want a fight,' and 'where is it? Where is it?' and 'I'll kill it - I swear - I'll kill it.'
The prosecutor added, 'The cat was brought into the kitchen where it was then kicked. The chasing and the throwing began. He already has a mindset that he will do further damage to the cat.' Ms. Stevens stated there has been a 'wave of people attacking cats and posting it on various social media sites' since the video was shared.
'Dealing with pets in this way does not demonstrate exemplary behavior. They both have a position of responsibility as footballers. They are role models whose actions are copied. Their behavior falls short of what is expected of a high-profile image.'
The court heard that the Premier League defender has since agreed for his two Bengal male cats to be rehomed, and they are still in the care of the RSPCA. An independent vet, who assessed the cats later and viewed the video, stated there were 'no lasting signs of injury' to the cats when he examined them. He said that being hit and kicked would have caused suffering, while being chased would have caused fear or distress.
