Kurt Zouma arrived at Thames Magistrates' Court on Tuesday along with his brother Yoan for a first hearing. The 27-year-old West Ham defender pleaded guilty to two counts under the Animal Welfare Act as envisaged in the United Kingdom constitution. Sentencing has, however, been adjourned until the 1st of June. Zouma had appeared before Thames Magistrates' Court in east London. The defender was forced to apologize after harrowing footage taken by his younger Yoan who also admitted to one offense circulated on social media. The Hammers player arrived at court in a chaotic fashion escorted by several security guards who emerged from a vehicle holding umbrellas to form a protective shield around the defendant. Both Zouma's and Yoan's addresses have been withheld following a court order.

The court was told about the footage that was filmed by Zouma's brother and posted on Snapchat on 6th February. The disturbing footage was later seen by a lady who was messaging Yoan and she raised the alarm. The West Ham defender in the video could be seen volleying the Bengal cat across his kitchen, before throwing a pair of shoes at it and slapping its head. The prosecutor went further to tell the court that Zouma could be heard in the footage saying "I swear I'll kill it, I swear I'll kill it." The player then admitted to two counts of causing unnecessary mental and physical suffering to an animal under protection. His brother admitted one count of aiding, abetting, counselling, or procuring his older brother to commit an offense.

The prosecutor further added that the 40 minutes clip appeared to have been taken after the cat had been deemed to be responsible for damaging a chair in the home. The young woman who raised the alarm on seeing the footage was so much appalled to the point of canceling a planned date with Zouma's brother Yoan. The prosecutor also added that since Zouma was a high profile image whom several people in the society look up to, there had been a spate of people hitting cats and posting it on various social media sites ever since the footage went public. West Ham had earlier fined their player by donating his few weeks' salaries to nine animal welfare charities in the United Kingdom and overseas but the club is still under criticism for retaining the player in the squad even after the incident.