Jay Emmanuel-Thomas: From Arsenal football prodigy to drugs smuggler

His first court hearing in September was told he carried out “extensive research” into flights and directions, including which airports the women had been going to.

David Philips, a senior NCA investigator, said “organised criminals like Emmanuel-Thomas” used persuasion and payment to get people to do their dirty work.

“But the risk of getting caught is very high and it simply isn’t worth it,” he added.

During several court appearances, Emmanuel-Thomas, of Cardwell Road, Gourock, strenuously denied attempting to import cannabis.

However, he changed his plea to guilty at the start of May and restrictions on reporting this were lifted on Wednesday.

Charges against both Ms Piotrowska and Ms Rowland were dropped after the prosecution revealed they had been tricked by Emmanuel-Thomas.

It followed what David Josse KC described as a “very thorough investigation”.

Emmanuel-Thomas appeared via video link from HMP Chelmsford at his latest court hearing.

When he returns to court for sentencing, on a date still to be confirmed, it will not be his first time in the spotlight.

But it will be for very different reasons to the day he lifted that trophy aloft in 2009.