Former Arsenal player Jay Emmanuel-Thomas has been sentenced to four years in prison for his involvement in a drug smuggling plot.
Emmanuel-Thomas charged with smuggling cannabis
In September, Emmanuel-Thomas was charged in connection with an attempt to bring £600,000 of cannabis into the UK. His arrest was conducted by the National Crime Agency after the smuggling, which took place at London Stansted Airport.
Former forward pleads guilty
The former forward pleaded guilty last month, and it was confirmed on Thursday at Chelmsford Crown Court that he has been jailed for four years. A reported £60kg worth of drugs were seized at Stansted Airport. Border Force officers found the cannabis stashed in four suitcases that had travelled from Thailand to the UK.
Judge's remarks
As per the BBC, Judge Alexander Mills said: "It is through your own actions you will no longer be known as a professional footballer, you will be known as a criminal. A professional footballer who threw it all away."
Charges against others dropped
Rosie Rowland and Yasmin Piotrowska were also initially charged, but these charges were dropped. Their involvement was discontinued following analysis of Emmanuel-Thomas' phone and the pair wept when leaving court. The prosecutor said: "They thought they were importing gold, not cannabis."
Emmanuel-Thomas' football career
Emmanuel-Thomas began his football career at Arsenal and made five senior appearances for the Premier League giants. Loan spells at Blackpool, Doncaster Rovers and Cardiff City were followed by a permanent exit to Ipswich Town in 2011. He scored nine goals in 76 appearances for the club before leaving two years later for Bristol City.
Emmanuel-Thomas won the 2014/15 League One and EFL Trophy titles with the Robins, and netted 33 times in 103 outings for them. The 34-year-old would later play for clubs including Queens Park Rangers and Aberdeen. He also had spells at PTT Rayong FC and Jamshedpur FC in Thailand and India respectively.
Emmanuel-Thomas was last at Scottish Championship side Greenock Morton, who terminated his contract after his arrest.
