Police launch investigation into Kurt Zouma after West Ham star is caught kicking cat in video
Police launch investigation into Snapchat video of Kurt Zouma kicking his cat after more than 30,000 sign petition demanding he is prosecuted, while £29m star is picked to play Watford TONIGHT despite dressing down from his West Ham bosses
Kurt Zouma, 27, has been filmed on Snapchat kicking and slapping cat in home Defender is heard laughing as he chases cat around kitchen and dining room He is also seen throwing a pair of shoes at the cat as it frantically runs awayVideo was taken on Sunday – day after he played in FA Cup match for West HamNow Essex police said they were making ‘urgent enquiries’ about the incident Police said they would be working alongside the RSPCA to investigate the videoTwitter users have called on charity to take action and petition has been set upWest Ham named the defender in their line up against Watford on Tuesday Watford fans chanted ‘that’s how your cat feels’ when he was hurt in a tackle
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Police have launched an investigation into Premier League star Kurt Zouma after he was caught kicking a cat and laughing.
The star has today apologised after being given a dressing down by West Ham bosses over a shocking video showing him kicking and slapping a Bengal cat.
In a grovelling statement, the 27-year-old, who only joined the east London club from Chelsea in a £29.8million deal in the summer, said he was ‘deeply sorry’ over the incident and insisted his cats were ‘loved and cherished’.
The apology comes as his club side issued their own statement, in which they ‘unreservedly condemned’ the defender’s actions.
However, the defender is in West Ham’s starting line up in the Premier League tonight against Watford.
But the footballer is not yet off the hook, and is facing a joint police and RSPCA animal cruelty investigation.
Essex police said: ‘We are aware of a video circulating on social media relating to an incident involving a cat which members of our communities may find distressing.
‘We have recently been made aware that this incident may have taken place in Essex and we are liaising with the RSPCA and urgent enquiries are ongoing.’
The RSPCA, which has the power to prosecute in animal welfare cases, said it was ‘aware’ of the ‘very upsetting footage’.
RSPCA bosses today refused to say if a probe had been launched, instead saying it would investigate if a ‘complaint is made’ and it is ‘necessary’.
Social media users meanwhile have taken to Twitter to put pressure on the RSPCA to investigate.
And a petition calling for the charity to take action against the French international has also been launched. It has already been signed more than 10,000 times.
The RSPCA, whose prosecutions carry a maximum sentence of five-years in prison for the most serious of offences, would not confirm the receipt of any official complaints that would lead to an investigation.
The charity however say it had received ‘lots of messages on social media’ and other channels about the video, which was taken on Sunday – the day after Zouma appeared for the club in their FA Cup victory over non-league Kidderminster Harriers.
RSPCA bosses urged people only to come forward to them if they had ‘first hand information’ about the incident.
Users on social media also flocked online in droves to express their disgust that the defender was named in West Ham’s starting line up against Watford tonight.
Zouma was booed almost every time he touched the ball during the match by both sets of supporters. When he was on the receiving end of a tough challenge and started limping Watford’s fans chanted ‘that’s how your cat feels’.
Today, addressing the video in a statement, the West Ham defender said: ‘I want to apologise for my actions.
The Snapchat video, captioned with ‘Sa commence’ showed Zouma kicking the cat across his kitchen floor
A separate clip also showed the West Ham defender slapping the cat out of a child’s hands
In a grovelling statement, the 27-year-old (pictured), who only joined the east London club from Chelsea in a £29.8million deal in the summer, said he was ‘deeply sorry’ over the incident and insisted his cats were ‘loved and cherished’
‘There are no excuses for my behaviour, which I sincerely regret. I also want to say how deeply sorry I am to anyone who was upset by the video.
‘I would like to assure everyone that our two cats are perfectly fine and healthy.
‘They are loved and cherished by our entire family, and this behaviour was an isolated incident that will not happen again.’
Zouma was said to have been angered after the cat caused a mess inside his house.
West Ham have said the club will ‘deal with the matter internally’. In a short statement, the Premier League said: ‘West Ham United unreservedly condemns the actions of Kurt Zouma in the video that has circulated.
‘We have spoken to Kurt and will be dealing with the matter internally, but we would like to make it clear that we in no way condone cruelty towards animals.’
It comes as social media users today flooded Twitter with complaints about the video, urging the RSPCA to take action.
One Twitter user even labelled her post an ‘official complaint’ and copied in the charity. It is not clear if this counts as an official complaint.
The Twitter user wrote: ‘Hi RSPCA_official. I am logging an official complaint about the clear case of animal cruelty that has been carried out by Kurt Zouma in a video posted on Snapchat.
‘Please remove this cat and any other animals from this person’s household ASAP.’
Another wrote: ‘RSPCA_official. Are you going to investigate this idiot?’
And Susan Hall, a Conservative London Assembly Member, copying in both Kurt Zouma and the RSPCA, added: ‘Kurt Zouma should never be allowed to own an animal again. Disgusting, unforgivable behavior.’
Meanwhile a petition calling on the RSPCA to take action has now been launched. The Change.Org petition has already been signed more than 30,000 times.
West Ham’s Kurt Zouma controls the ball during a Premier League match between West Ham United and Watford at the London stadium on Tuesday
The West Ham defender faced boos whenever he touched the ball as the Hammers played the Hornets
When Zouma was on the receiving end of a particularly tough challenge, fans started singing ‘that’s how your cat feels’
French international Zouma cut a forlorn figure during the first half of the match today
Centre back Zouma was named in West Ham’s starting line up as the Hammers faced Watford in the Premier League
Even the parody account for the Downing Street cat, Larry, expressed his disgust at the club starting Zouma in West Ham’s match against Watford on Tuesday
A spokesperson for the RSPCA said: ‘This is a very upsetting video. It’s never acceptable to kick, hit or slap an animal, for punishment or otherwise.
‘We are so grateful to people who report suspected animal suffering to us and we would like to reassure people we will always look into and, if necessary, investigate any complaints made to us about animal welfare.’
The spokesperson added: ‘We have received lots of messages on social media and our other channels, so we’re urging people to only contact our national cruelty line (0300 1234 999) if they have new or first-hand information.’
The shocking footage is believed to have been filmed by Zouma’s brother Yoan, and shows Zouma dropping the cat before kicking it across the kitchen floor.
He also chases the cat around the kitchen and dining room in front of a child, all while the person capturing the video laughs hysterically.
A separate clip, obtained by The Sun, also shows the French international throwing a pair of shoes at the cat before slapping it out of a child’s arms.
The first of the clips was captioned with ‘sa commence’, which translated to ‘it is starting’.
A second clip was captioned with a series of laughing emojis.
Zouma’s brother is currently signed with National League side Dagenham & Redbridge FC, who also condemned their star’s actions in a statement.
In a statement issued on their website, club bosses said: ‘Since first becoming aware of the incident this morning the club has had discussions with Yoan and we will now take some time to consider our response, which we will of course make public in due course.
‘However, in the meantime we would like to make it completely clear that we in no way condone any form of cruelty towards animals and take this matter very seriously.
In a statement issues through the club’s website, Yoan Zouma said: ‘I deeply regret my involvement in the video that has been widely circulated and unreservedly apologise, not only for my actions, but for the upset and distress this will have caused to so many people.
‘I am now taking time to reflect on what I have done but wish to assure everyone that this was an isolated incident and not something that I am proud of.’
The release of the videos have sparked calls for West Ham to sack the star, including by BBC presenter Gabby Logan, who posted on Twitter: ‘I think I would probably get rid of a player who kicked and hit an animal for ‘laughs’ in his kitchen. All in front of his child.’
The video emerged the day after Zouma (pictured) appeared for the club in their FA Cup victory over non-league Kidderminster Harriers
Zouma’s brother is currently signed with National League side Dagenham & Redbridge FC, who also condemned their star’s actions in a statement. In a statement issued on their website, club bosses said: ‘Since first becoming aware of the incident this morning the club has had discussions with Yoan and we will now take some time to consider our response, which we will of course make public in due course
Chris Kirkland, a former Liverpool and England goalkeeper, also called for Zouma’s sacking.
He told talkSPORT: ‘Kurt Zouma has got to be sacked. If I was West Ham captain, I’d want to get Zouma out of the dressing room.’
The row comes just months after prison sentences for were raised by the Government.
In June last year, the maximum prison sentence for animal cruelty, which includes the abuse of cats, rose from six months to five years. Offenders can also receive an unlimited fine.
