A professional footballer has denied involvement in a plot to smuggle £600,000 worth of drugs from Thailand to the UK.

Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, 33, is alleged to have been linked to the discovery of 60kg (9.44st) of cannabis at London Stansted Airport in Essex on September 2.

Rosie Rowland, 28, and Yasmin Piotrowska, 33, also denied importing the Class B drug at a hearing at Chelmsford Crown Court between July 1 and September 2.

Judge Christopher Morgan said the defendants would be tried for up to seven days in May.