Footballer Kurt Zouma admits kicking pet cat as he appears in court

Premier League footballer Kurt Zouma has admitted to kicking his pet cat as he appears in court today.

Zouma, 27, pleaded guilty to two counts under the Animal Welfare Act when he appeared at Thames Magistrates' Court in east London this morning (May 24). The West Ham United defender was forced to apologise after footage of the incident was filmed and shared by his younger brother Yoan, 24, who admitted to one offence during the hearing.

The Hammers defender arrived in court accompanied by several security guards who emerged from a vehicle while holding umbrellas to create a protective shield around Zouma. The pair will be sentenced next month.

READ MORE: Gang boss arrested after 'migrant' drug farms raided as police hunt man

The court heard about the harrowing footage of the incident which was filmed at Zouma's home and posted on Snapchat by his brother on February 6. It was later seen by a woman who was messaging Yoan on the social media app.

In the footage, Zouma could be seen throwing the Bengal cat across the kitchen, before throwing a pair of shoes at it and slapping its head. Prosecutor Hazel Stevens told the court that Zouma could be heard saying "I swear I'll kill it, I swear I'll kill it."

Following the hearing, he admitted to two counts of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal on February 6. Meanwhile, Yoan admitted to one count of aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring his older brother to commit an offence.

Stevens added that the 40 second clip appeared to be carried out after the cats were blamed for damaging a chair in the home: "Kurt Zouma is determined to chastise or carry out some sort of retribution for the damage caused.”

She added that the young woman who first saw the footage was