West Ham defender Kurt Zouma, 27, has pleaded guilty at Thames Magistrates’ Court to kicking and slapping a cat.
The West Ham defender was faced with three offences under the Animal Welfare Act after a video emerged in February which appeared to show him kicking and slapping his cat.
Zouma’s brother Yoan, who plays for Dagenham and Redbridge has also been accused of two offences.
The maximum sentence for animal cruelty cases in the UK is five years after being raised from six months in 2021.
Zouma was forced to apologise after harrowing footage was filmed and shared by his younger brother Yoan, 24, who admitted one offence during the hearing.
Hammers defender Zouma arrived at court in chaotic fashion, accompanied by several security guards who emerged from a vehicle holding umbrellas to form a protective shield around the defendant.
The court was told about disturbing footage of the incident, filmed at Zouma’s home and posted on Snapchat by his brother on 6 February. It was later seen by a woman who had been messaging Yoan, who raised the alarm.
He could be seen volleying the Bengal cat across his kitchen, before throwing a pair of shoes at it and slapping its head.
The French player who is an ambassador for a French animal charity – issued an apology in February and said in a statement: “I want to apologise for my actions. There are no excuses for my behaviour, which I sincerely regret.
Zouma has since agreed for his two Bengal male cats to be rehomed. He admitted two counts of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal on 6 February.