Former Arsenal striker Jay Emmanuel-Thomas has denied a charge of importing Class B drugs. As he appeared in court accused of attempting to smuggle £600,000 of cannabis through Stansted Airport in sportnews.
The 33-year-old forward was sacked by Scottish Championship side Greenock Morton following his arrest last month.UFABET
The former Livingston, Aberdeen and Arsenal academy graduate appeared at Chelmsford Magistrates Court via video link from Durham Prison on Friday. And pleaded not guilty to a charge of importing Class B drugs.
He was charged along with co-defendants Rosie Rowland and Yasmin Piotrovsky on charges between July 1 and September 2 of this year.
Rowland, 28, of Southend Road, Chelmsford, and Piotrovska. Of Purves Road, north-west London, both denied the charges in court.
Emmanuel-Thomas was arrested in the city by National Crime Agency (NCA) officers last month and was interrogated before being taken into custody.
The footballer, dressed in a grey prison tracksuit, sat in court during his trial. With Arsene Wenger once describing him as having ‘outstanding qualities’.
He made his Premier League debut for the club in a 2–0 defeat at Chelsea in October 2010. And a month later he scored in a 2–1 Champions League defeat at Shakhtar Donetsk. Before leaving the Gunners for Ipswich for £1.1m in 2011.
He has also played for Bristol City, Queens Park Rangers and Thai club PTT Rayong.
He was arrested at 8am local time on Wednesday after UK Border Force officers found the contraband in several pieces of luggage. That arrived in the UK on a flight from Bangkok on September 2.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) said about 60 kilograms of drugs were found in two suitcases. Although prosecutors later said four suitcases were seized.