The West Ham central defender, at the heart of a huge controversy after the publication of a video showing him hitting his cat in early February, pleaded guilty on Tuesday in a British court.
So said Kurt Zouma, who arrived at the Thames Criminal Court in London, hiding his face first with his hands and then under a coat.
His brother Yoan, 24, had filmed and shared a video of the 27-year-old West Ham player kicking and slapping his cat.
Prosecuted for complicity, Yoan Zouma also appeared this Tuesday morning before the court of Thames Magistrates, in the east of London, and admitted to having "aided, encouraged, advised or incited his older brother to commit an offense".
Under British law, the maximum penalty is up to five years in prison.
According to the English press, the hearing is adjourned until Wednesday, June 1.
The facts date back to February 6
The player's two cats have since been taken into the care of humane society RSPCA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), which had launched proceedings for Kurt and Yoan Zouma to be prosecuted under protection legislation. of animal welfare.
The London club had not suspended their player and had even made him play a match the evening of the revelation of the affair, provoking a huge wave of protest.
The player was finally fined nearly 300,000 euros, the highest possible, imposed by his club and the sports equipment manufacturer Adidas had broken a sponsorship contract with him.
West Ham had assured that, according to the information available to the club, the cats did not “suffer any physical injury”.
The club then assured that the financial penalty imposed on the player had been donated to animal protection associations.
