From Arsenal prodigy to medicine smuggler

[ad_1] Lewis Adams BBC Information, Essex

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/253b/live/0ffb5140-3708-11f0-8947-7d6241f9fce9.png.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/253b/live/0ffb5140-3708-11f0-8947-7d6241f9fce9.png.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/253b/live/0ffb5140-3708-11f0-8947-7d6241f9fce9.png.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/253b/live/0ffb5140-3708-11f0-8947-7d6241f9fce9.png.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/253b/live/0ffb5140-3708-11f0-8947-7d6241f9fce9.png.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/253b/live/0ffb5140-3708-11f0-8947-7d6241f9fce9.png.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/253b/live/0ffb5140-3708-11f0-8947-7d6241f9fce9.png.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/253b/live/0ffb5140-3708-11f0-8947-7d6241f9fce9.png.webp" loading="eager" alt="NCA Custody photo of Emmanuel-Thomas. He looks serious and is wearing a yellow turtle neck jumper." class="sc-d1200759-0 dvfjxj"/> NCA Jay Emmanuel-Thomas is awaiting sentence for importing hashish into the UK

As a footballer, Jay Emmanuel-Thomas appeared destined for greatness. However a drug-smuggling conviction has left his profession and popularity in tatters. How did issues unravel so dramatically for a participant as soon as tipped for the highest?

Hailed by legendary Arsenal supervisor Arsene Wenger as a footballer who may "play wherever", Emmanuel-Thomas was marked out early on as having elite potential.

Imposing, technically gifted and surprisingly agile, the striker appeared to have the world at his ft.

However a profession that promised a lot at Arsenal faltered and noticed him spend years flitting between the second and third tiers of English soccer.

In 2020 he moved to play in Scotland and was nonetheless plying his commerce north of the border when, on 18 September, he was arrested at his dwelling in Gourock, close to Glasgow.

Sixteen days earlier, Border Drive officers had stopped two girls at London Stansted Airport and located medicine of their instances.

It was not a minor haul; they had been gazing hashish with a avenue worth of £600,000.

How did it get there? The proof quickly led detectives to Emmanuel-Thomas.

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/e075/live/df96f110-3709-11f0-a65c-47ca07a6460a.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/e075/live/df96f110-3709-11f0-a65c-47ca07a6460a.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/e075/live/df96f110-3709-11f0-a65c-47ca07a6460a.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/e075/live/df96f110-3709-11f0-a65c-47ca07a6460a.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/e075/live/df96f110-3709-11f0-a65c-47ca07a6460a.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/e075/live/df96f110-3709-11f0-a65c-47ca07a6460a.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/e075/live/df96f110-3709-11f0-a65c-47ca07a6460a.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/e075/live/df96f110-3709-11f0-a65c-47ca07a6460a.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="Getty Images Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, Jack Wilshere and Sanchez Watt all wearing yellow Arsenal tops as they hold the FA Youth Cup trophy on the pitch. They are smiling and cheering in celebration." class="sc-d1200759-0 dvfjxj"/> Getty Pictures Emmanuel-Thomas (centre) captained Arsenal to FA Youth Cup victory, aged 16. His team-mates included future England star Jack Wilshere (left)

Wind again a decade and a half, and issues had been very totally different.

It's 26 Could 2009, and Arsenal's newest batch of academy abilities can barely comprise their pleasure.

The younger prospects, together with Jack Wilshere and Francis Coquelin, have simply received the FA Youth Cup.

One participant specifically has stood out: their 16-year-old captain, Emmanuel-Thomas, who has scored in each spherical of the competitors.

"These younger males have a really brilliant future certainly," remarked one commentator.

However regardless of occurring to make 5 first-team appearances, it was not fairly to be for Emmanuel-Thomas.

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/0ef5/live/8221bac0-3708-11f0-a65c-47ca07a6460a.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/0ef5/live/8221bac0-3708-11f0-a65c-47ca07a6460a.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/0ef5/live/8221bac0-3708-11f0-a65c-47ca07a6460a.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/0ef5/live/8221bac0-3708-11f0-a65c-47ca07a6460a.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/0ef5/live/8221bac0-3708-11f0-a65c-47ca07a6460a.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/0ef5/live/8221bac0-3708-11f0-a65c-47ca07a6460a.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/0ef5/live/8221bac0-3708-11f0-a65c-47ca07a6460a.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/0ef5/live/8221bac0-3708-11f0-a65c-47ca07a6460a.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="Getty Images The Arsenal youth team celebrate with the FA Youth Cup trophy on the pitch. They are smiling, cheering and poking their tongues out while wearing a yellow jersey with dark blue shorts." class="sc-d1200759-0 dvfjxj"/> Getty Pictures Emmanuel-Thomas, pictured on the again together with his tongue out, was caught after a "very thorough investigation" by the NCA

He was shipped out on a number of loans earlier than leaving the north London membership for Ipswich City.

It was a transfer that excited supporters in Suffolk, who had been eager to see what the previous Arsenal starlet may produce.

Nonetheless, 71 video games and eight targets later, Emmanuel-Thomas had not fairly made the mark followers hoped for, and he moved to Bristol Metropolis in a participant change deal.

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/3185/live/e1dc1b90-3708-11f0-a65c-47ca07a6460a.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/3185/live/e1dc1b90-3708-11f0-a65c-47ca07a6460a.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/3185/live/e1dc1b90-3708-11f0-a65c-47ca07a6460a.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/3185/live/e1dc1b90-3708-11f0-a65c-47ca07a6460a.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/3185/live/e1dc1b90-3708-11f0-a65c-47ca07a6460a.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/3185/live/e1dc1b90-3708-11f0-a65c-47ca07a6460a.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/3185/live/e1dc1b90-3708-11f0-a65c-47ca07a6460a.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/3185/live/e1dc1b90-3708-11f0-a65c-47ca07a6460a.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="Getty Images Emmanuel-Thomas looking focused with slightly raised eyebrows as he plays a match for Ipswich. He is looking beyond the camera while wearing a blue Ipswich Town top with thin white stripes." class="sc-d1200759-0 dvfjxj"/> Getty Pictures Emmanuel-Thomas's spell at Ipswich didn't reside as much as followers' hopes

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/6111/live/641b6000-37fb-11f0-8947-7d6241f9fce9.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/6111/live/641b6000-37fb-11f0-8947-7d6241f9fce9.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/6111/live/641b6000-37fb-11f0-8947-7d6241f9fce9.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/6111/live/641b6000-37fb-11f0-8947-7d6241f9fce9.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/6111/live/641b6000-37fb-11f0-8947-7d6241f9fce9.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/6111/live/641b6000-37fb-11f0-8947-7d6241f9fce9.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/6111/live/641b6000-37fb-11f0-8947-7d6241f9fce9.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/6111/live/641b6000-37fb-11f0-8947-7d6241f9fce9.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="Getty Images Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, wearing a red Bristol City shirt, has his hands on his head. He is wearing gloves." class="sc-d1200759-0 dvfjxj"/> Getty Pictures The striker was a prolific scorer in his first season at Bristol Metropolis

Right here, he helped the Robins safe promotion to the Championship and have become one thing of a cult hero, scoring 21 targets in his first season.

A transfer to Queens Park Rangers adopted, with subsequent mortgage spells at MK Dons and Gillingham.

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/5e04/live/f9c8a2c0-37fb-11f0-8947-7d6241f9fce9.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/5e04/live/f9c8a2c0-37fb-11f0-8947-7d6241f9fce9.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/5e04/live/f9c8a2c0-37fb-11f0-8947-7d6241f9fce9.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/5e04/live/f9c8a2c0-37fb-11f0-8947-7d6241f9fce9.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/5e04/live/f9c8a2c0-37fb-11f0-8947-7d6241f9fce9.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/5e04/live/f9c8a2c0-37fb-11f0-8947-7d6241f9fce9.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/5e04/live/f9c8a2c0-37fb-11f0-8947-7d6241f9fce9.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/5e04/live/f9c8a2c0-37fb-11f0-8947-7d6241f9fce9.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="Getty Images Jay Emmanuel-Thomas on the pitch, wearing the white strip of MK Dons with the logo of club sponsor Suzuki. " class="sc-d1200759-0 dvfjxj"/> Getty Pictures A spell at MK Dons was one other step in Emmanuel-Thomas's profession

However in 2019, Emmanuel-Thomas accepted a switch to a Thai-based crew that will alter the course of his life.

It's believed he was tempted into the nation's medicine underworld whereas enjoying for PTT Rayong, a membership that folded in the identical 12 months.

Regardless of later strikes to an Indian aspect and several other Scottish outfits, together with Aberdeen, Emmanuel-Thomas by no means shook off the felony connections he made.

By the point he took a six-month contract at Greenock Morton, a 40-minute drive from Glasgow, the sport was virtually up.

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/0492/live/33831f70-3709-11f0-8519-3b5a01ebe413.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/0492/live/33831f70-3709-11f0-8519-3b5a01ebe413.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/0492/live/33831f70-3709-11f0-8519-3b5a01ebe413.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/0492/live/33831f70-3709-11f0-8519-3b5a01ebe413.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/0492/live/33831f70-3709-11f0-8519-3b5a01ebe413.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/0492/live/33831f70-3709-11f0-8519-3b5a01ebe413.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/0492/live/33831f70-3709-11f0-8519-3b5a01ebe413.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/0492/live/33831f70-3709-11f0-8519-3b5a01ebe413.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="NCA A bundle of vacuum-packed white plastic bags full of cannabis, loaded into a green suitcase." class="sc-d1200759-0 dvfjxj"/> NCA The medicine had been intercepted by Border Drive officers at London Stansted Airport in Essex

As he lined up for them in opposition to Queens Park on 14 September, he would have certainly recognized the regulation was about to meet up with him.

The ladies arrested at Stansted had been his 33-year-old girlfriend, Yasmin Piotrowska, and her good friend Rosie Rowland, 28.

Emmanuel Thomas, by then 33, appeared in court docket charged with orchestrating the tried importation of medicine, and was sacked by his membership.

Detectives found he had duped Ms Piotrowska, from north-west London, and Ms Rowland, from Chelmsford, into travelling to Thailand with the promise of £2,500 in money and an all-expenses-paid journey.

Their job? To carry dwelling two suitcases every, crammed with what they had been assured was gold, Chelmsford Crown Court docket heard.

'I really feel sorry for the ladies'

They flew enterprise class from Bangkok, touchdown in Essex through Dubai.

Unknown to them, they had been smuggling in hashish with a avenue worth of £600,000, vacuum-packed contained in the 4 instances.

The pair had been stopped and arrested by Border Drive officers, earlier than being charged with drug importation offences.

With the pair in custody, and Emmanuel-Thomas later remanded, police probed how the medicine made it to the UK.

They quickly discovered the participant was the middleman between suppliers in Thailand and sellers within the UK, in response to the Nationwide Crime Company (NCA).

With the footballer's encouragement, the ladies had additionally made a near-identical journey in July, having been made comparable guarantees of money and a lavish vacation.

On his technique to custody, Emmanuel-Thomas even informed NCA officers: "I simply really feel sorry for the ladies."

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/b130/live/0cf3a3c0-37fe-11f0-96c3-cf669419a2b0.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/b130/live/0cf3a3c0-37fe-11f0-96c3-cf669419a2b0.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/b130/live/0cf3a3c0-37fe-11f0-96c3-cf669419a2b0.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/b130/live/0cf3a3c0-37fe-11f0-96c3-cf669419a2b0.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/b130/live/0cf3a3c0-37fe-11f0-96c3-cf669419a2b0.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/b130/live/0cf3a3c0-37fe-11f0-96c3-cf669419a2b0.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/b130/live/0cf3a3c0-37fe-11f0-96c3-cf669419a2b0.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/b130/live/0cf3a3c0-37fe-11f0-96c3-cf669419a2b0.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="Elizabeth Cook/PA Media Court sketch of Jay Emmanuel-Thomas in prison. His hair is braided and he has a beard. He is wearing a white crew-neck shirt." class="sc-d1200759-0 dvfjxj"/> Elizabeth Prepare dinner/PA Media Emmanuel-Thomas modified his plea to responsible

His first court docket listening to in September was informed he carried out "in depth analysis" into flights and instructions, together with which airports the ladies had been going to.

David Philips, a senior NCA investigator, mentioned "organised criminals like Emmanuel-Thomas" used persuasion and fee to get individuals to do their soiled work.