Maidstone United sign Yoan Zouma from Dagenham & Redbridge on loan after cat-kicking scandal
15:27, 06 January 2023
updated: 16:26, 06 January 2023
A footballer who was convicted after filming his Premier League star brother kicking a cat has joined Maidstone United.
Yoan Zouma, 24, joins the relegation-battling side on loan from fellow National League side Dagenham & Redbridge.
However, the defender hit headlines for all the wrong reasons last year after a video he recorded of his brother and former Chelsea player Kurt Zouma chasing, kicking and hitting his bengal cat.
The RSPCA launched an investigation after a video was posted on Snapchat by Yoan Zouma on February 6.
In May, both the brothers pleaded guilty after being charged with animal cruelty offences.
French international and West Ham centre-back Kurt Zouma, 28, was sentenced to 180 hours' community service for causing unnecessary suffering to an animal, while Yoan Zouma was sentenced to 140 hours for filming the incident.
Both were banned from owning cats for five years.
Now Yoan Zouma joins the Stones from recent opponents Dagenham & Redbridge after making nine appearances for the Daggers.
Maidstone United tweeted: "Yoan Zouma has joined the Stones on loan from Dagenham & Redbridge.
"The defender signed for the fellow National League side in December 2021 and quickly established himself at the heart of the Daggers’ backline."
It comes after injuries to Reiss Greenidge and Jereome Binnon-Williams.
Maidstone United currently sit 22nd in the National League after five losses in a row.
The news wasn't met with much joy from Stones' fans.
One man wrote: "We really have hit rock bottom, it's disgusting that we have actually signed this fella."
While another said: "I didn’t realise Maidstone were a club that accepted animal abuse."
The club has been contacted for a comment.
The RSPCA had no further comment to give further to the conclusion of the court proceedings in June.