Bella Culley’s family pay to reduce Georgia drug smuggling sentence

The family of a “heavily pregnant” British teenager who is on trial for drug smuggling in Georgia has paid £137,000 to reduce her sentence.

Bella Culley, 19, from Billingham, Teesside, had previously been told she could face up to 20 years in jail or life imprisonment if convicted.

Her mother Lyanne Kennedy confirmed the family had transferred the funds and it was now up to prosecutors to confirm they had received the money.

Miss Culley was stopped at Tbilisi International Airport in May after 12kg (26lbs) of marijuana and 2kg (4.4lbs) of hashish were found in her luggage. She previously claimed she was tortured to bring the drugs.

Under the plea bargain agreement, her family paid 500,000 Georgian Lari (£137,000) to significantly reduce her sentence.

More than 90% of drug-related crimes in Georgia are resolved through plea bargains.

Miss Culley will remain in pre-trial detention until the next hearing on Monday.

Miss Culley is currently believed to be 35 weeks pregnant.

Speaking outside court, her mother said: “We’ve confirmed that the funds have been sent but they need to confirm that they have been received and that is not going to happen until tomorrow.

“She is looking big, pregnant, but she is looking strong.”

Malkhaz Salakaia, representing Miss Culley, said the negotiations “are nearing completion”.

He said: “Plea bargain conditions are known to the family.

“There is a technical issue to be resolved which will take a few days.”

Mr Salakaia previously said he planned to appeal to the president of Georgia to pardon her after finalising the plea deal.

Miss Culley initially went missing in Thailand before being arrested at Tbilisi International Airport on 10 May.

It is understood she arrived on a flight from Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates and police seized drugs from a travel bag.

At a hearing in July, she pleaded not guilty to charges of possession and trafficking illegal drugs and claimed she had been “forced to do this through torture”.

“I just wanted to travel,” she said. “I am a good person. I am a student at university. I am a clean person. I don’t do drugs.”