Pregnant British teen facing life in prison after being accused of smuggling 14kg of drugs as 'substantial' sum required for release
A teenage mother-to-be is currently being held in a Georgia prison on drug smuggling charges, where she could face life imprisonment.
The British youngster is 19-year-old Bella May Culley, who hails from Billingham, Teesside, who was arrested Tbilisi International Airport, having arrived in the European country after vanishing in Thailand for several months.
When she was found, Culley was immediately charged with the importation of vast quantities of narcotics - around 14kg of cannabis and hashish, to be specific - which were found inside her travel bag.
At the time, she was photographed on national television sporting a pair of handcuffs as she was transported from the airport.
Advert
The teen, who is expecting a baby boy in the coming months, pleaded not guilty to several charges, including both possession and trafficking of illegal drugs.
She claimed instead that she'd sought help from a Thai customs officer whilst in Thailand, but claimed they didn't assist her.
In response, authorities in Asia slammed Culley's allegations, claiming the only CCTV footage they have of her shows her passing through airport checks calmly, without speaking specifically to any officers.
Since her arrest, the alleged drug mule has been held in Tblisi's only female prison, the notorious Women's Prison No 5.
If found guilty, a spokesperson for the case has since told press (via The Mirror), Culley could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison, with life behind bars also being a very real possibility.
According to the BBC, the teenager's family have since been informed they'll need to hand over a 'substantial' sum of money, with 'many zeros' to see Culley's sentence reduced.
Her plea for bail with a £13,752 surety was denied by Georgia's Judge Giorgi Gelashvili earlier this summer - according to The Independent - after it was argued that she posed a flight risk and could easily reoffend.
A representative of the UK's Foreign Office reportedly added of the case: "We are supporting a British woman who is detained in Georgia and are in contact with her family and the local authorities."
A trial against Culley was initially set for July, during which Culley pleaded with the judge: "I hope you understand my story through my eyes. I never thought something like this would happen to me."
She also insisted she'd been 'forced' to smuggle drugs into the country following 'torture'.
"I just want to travel," the pregnant teenager continued. "I am a good person. I am a student at university. I am a clean person. I don't do drugs."
Culley's lawyer Malkhaz Salakia also said in court: "Bella will become a mother soon, she is expecting a boy.
"I want her to feel this motherhood in freedom. It’s a moment of her becoming a mother for the first time in her life, she turned 19 this June."
The defence attorney continued: "Since the crime committed is not connected to Georgia, and her family has been here – father before and now the mother is here – they are here to look after her, and there is no possibility of influencing the witnesses because they are police and officials."
Salakia also supported her torture claims, insisting that the criminal gang behind the crimes had forced a hot iron onto her right arm.
He added that Culley had attempted to flag her pain to a police officer, only to discover he was also involved with the group.
Topics: Crime, UK News, World News, News
Rhianna Benson