Premier League Footballer Sentenced To 180 Hours Of Community Service For Kicking, Slapping Pet Cat

West Ham defender Kurt Zouma was on Wednesday ordered to carry out 180 hours of community service after he admitted kicking and slapping his pet cat. A judge at Thames Magistrates Court in east London also banned the 27-year-old France international from keeping cats for five years. Zouma triggered international outrage after a video of him emerged in February volleying the pet across his kitchen before throwing a pair of shoes at it. He was seen slapping the Bengal cat's head and saying: "I'll swear I'll kill it."

The clip, shared on Snapchat, featured laughing emojis.

As a cat owner, Kurt Zouma's abuse of his pet has made me feel physically sick tonight. How could someone treat their animal like this for sport and cheap laughs? He must never own a cat again. pic.twitter.com/tV905qI6pR

It prompted West Ham to fine him 250,000 pounds ($315,000, 294,000 euros). He lost a lucrative sponsorship deal and selection for France.

The Premier League player arrived at court surrounded by burly minders to face a scrum of waiting media and a person dressed up as a cat.

As he went inside, the lone demonstrator gave him a thumbs down.

District judge Susan Holdham told Zouma and his younger brother Yoan, who filmed the incident, that their actions were "disgraceful and reprehensible".

"You must be aware that others look up to you and many young people aspire to emulate you," she said but accepted that both expressed "genuine remorse".

Kurt Zouma pleaded guilty last month to two counts under the Animal Welfare Act of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.

As well as the community penalty and ban on keeping cats, he was told to pay court costs of nearly 9,000 pounds.

Yoan Zouma, 24, admitted one count of aiding, abetting,