Kurt Zouma was filmed abusing two cats earlier this year and pleaded guilty to two charges of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal in court on Tuesday
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Police are investigating a slew of death threats and racist abuse aimed at Kurt Zouma after his cat-kicking incident.
Officers are understood to have identified some of the culprits with the 27-year-old West Ham defender targeted on Instagram via direct messaging. Some of the sickening abuse included threats of rape and to put him in a wheelchair with widespread use of the ’n’ word.
Zouma has been bombarded with such messages since the incident in February this year, for which he has publicly apologised. Zouma pleaded guilty to two charges of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal when he appeared at Thames Magistrates Court alongside his brother.
He had been filmed by his 24-year-old brother Yoann. Both men were arrested and subsequently charged following an RSPCA investigation. Zouma paid a club fine of £250,000 to West Ham after the incident with the money distributed to nine cat charities.
Cats Protection, People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals, Pussycat Lodge Trust, Hopefield Animal Sanctuary, National Animal Welfare Trust and Celia Hammond Animal Trust will benefit domestically.
Humane Society International/UK, International Fund Animal Welfare and War Paws are the three international causes receiving donations from the Hammers.
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SWNS)
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RSPCA / SWNS.COM)
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Zouma also lost a sponsorship deal with Adidas while the club’s partners Kissimmee and Vitality pulled their deals after he continued to play under boss David Moyes.
The defender’s legal team have argued that he is no longer being considered for selection by France owing to the incident. But he is understood to have been left shaken by the racists purporting to be animal lovers threatening him and his family.
The RSPCA took Zouma’s two Bengal cats into care after the incident. They were examined by a vet who said there were ‘no remaining signs of injuries.’ Essex Police have yet to respond to a request for comment.
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