Pregnant British teenager Bella Culley to be free of Georgia jail

Bella Culley, a pregnant British teenager held in Georgia over drug smuggling charges, has been freed.

The 19-year-old from Billingham in Teesside was awaiting sentencing after she was accused of smuggling 12kg (26lb) of marijuana and 2kg (4.4lb) of hashish in her hold luggage at Tbilisi International Airport in May.

She had been held in the ex-Soviet prison for over five months, and said she had been forced to boil pasta in a kettle to eat and dig a hole in the ground to use the toilet. She was transferred to a mother and baby unit over the weekend, but has now been freed.

Footage from outside the court shows the teen appearing shocked, overwhelmed and grateful as she left the building with her lawyer.

Speaking to media upon her release, Ms Culley said: “I’m feeling relieved.” She said she did not expect to be freed and felt “happy” upon hearing the news. Asked about the conditions in prison, she looked to her mother, Lyanne Kennedy, who shook her head and said: “Bella, no”.

Ms Culley then asked: “Can we go now?” and left the premises.

Shortly before her final hearing, Culley’s lawyer said a plea bargain had been reached at the last minute. Learning of the news, Ms Culley was seen giving her lawyer Malkhaz Salakaia a hug.

Last week, her family made a payment of £137,000 to reduce her sentence after reaching a plea bargain with prosecutors at Tbilisi City Court. She had been facing up to twenty years in prison when she was first arrested.

More to follow…

Source: independent.co.uk