West Ham defender Kurt Zouma charged with three animal welfare offences ‘after kicking his cat’

West Ham defender Kurt Zouma has been charged with three offences under the Animal Welfare Act after allegedly harming his cat.

Zouma’s brother Yoan has also been charged and the pair are due to appear at Thames Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.

In February, Zouma was allegedly filmed slapping and kicking his pet cat in a video which was uploaded to Snapchat by his brother Yoan.

Zouma was subsequently fined £250,000 by West Ham while his two pet cats were seized by the RSPCA.

The French defender has also lost out on a lucrative personal sponsorship with Adidas, who terminated its deal with the 27-year-old.

Zoma has continued to play for West Ham during the RSPCA’s investigation, while his brother Yoan was temporarily suspended by Dagenham & Redbridge before being allowed to return to the squad in March.

Speaking about Zouma’s attack and West Ham’s decision not to suspend him, manager David Moyes said: ‘I don’t think the club could take more action or any quicker. West Ham have fined him the maximum wages.

‘We all accept the actions are terrible and diabolical, but we’ve chosen to play him and we stand by that.

‘We are so disappointed it is completely out of character from Kurt. He is a really good lad we are going to get him some help and trying to give him as much help as we can.

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‘Like drink-driving offences, most people have to go to classes and the RSPCA are going to provide him with classes to understand about animals and how to treat them.

‘We will do everything we can to make sure Kurt is