Jay Emmanuel-Thomas Denies Drug Import Charges

Former professional footballer Jay Emmanuel-Thomas has pleaded not guilty to charges of importing class B drugs, specifically attempting to smuggle £600,000 worth of cannabis through Stansted Airport. The 33-year-old striker, recently sacked by Greenock Morton following his arrest, appeared via video link from HMP Durham at Chelmsford Crown Court alongside co-defendants Rosie Rowland and Yasmin Piotrowska, who also denied the charges. The allegations stem from an incident on September 2, when the National Crime Agency seized approximately 60kg of cannabis hidden in two suitcases arriving from Bangkok, Thailand. The trial is expected to last five to seven days and is tentatively scheduled for May, with a case management hearing set for January 6. Emmanuel-Thomas has a notable football career, having played for clubs including Arsenal, Ipswich Town, and Bristol City. The judge has remanded him in custody while granting bail to his co-defendants until the next hearing.