Zouma charged with animal welfare offences

West Ham defender Kurt Zouma has been charged with three offences under the Animal Welfare Act after allegedly harming his cat.

Yoan, 23, filmed 27-year-old Kurt kicking and slapping one of his pets.

The Zouma brothers are set to appear at Thames Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday for a first hearing.

After the video appeared in February, the RSPCA removed two cats from Kurt’s home and began liaising with Essex Police about the incident.

The RSPCA continues to care for the two cats.

Kurt is accused of two counts of causing “unnecessary suffering” to the cat by kicking it in the abdomen and slapping it in the head.

He is also charged with failing to protect the cat from “pain suffering, injury or disease”.

Yoan is accused of two counts of “aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring” Kurt to commit the offence of causing unnecessary suffering to the cat.

Kurt was fined a reported £250,000 and was dropped by a number of sponsors, but continued to play for the Hammers.

Yoan has not played for Dagenham and Redbridge since 29 January.