A pregnant British teenager detained in Georgia on drug smuggling charges could be freed if her family pays a substantial fine with "many zeros". Bella Culley has been told she can walk free the same day payment is made, according to ongoing plea agreement negotiations.
The 19-year-old from Billingham, Teesside, has been held in a Georgian prison for more than three months. She was arrested at Tbilisi International Airport in May, accused of attempting to smuggle 14kg of cannabis worth £200,000 in her travel bag.
Culley faces up to 20 years in prison or life imprisonment if convicted. The student nurse has consistently denied the charges against her.
Court negotiations progress
Tuesday's court hearing with Judge Giorgi Gelashvili saw significant progress in plea agreement negotiations. Her legal team confirmed the prosecution is willing to release her immediately upon payment of the agreed fine.
The family described the required sum as "a lot of money for us", according to Metro reports. Court officials have offered a layered payment approach to help manage the financial burden.
If no agreement is reached, the next hearing is scheduled for October 9. Her lawyers continue working to secure her release through the plea bargain process.
Torture allegations surface
Metro reports that Culley has made claims of torture during her detention in Thailand before her transfer to Georgia. She allegedly told authorities she was burned with a hot iron and shown beheading videos by a Thai gang.
The teenager was studying to become a student nurse before her arrest. Her case has drawn significant attention from British media and her local community in Teesside.
Her pregnancy adds urgency to her family's efforts to secure her release. The substantial fine represents their best chance of bringing her home before her next court appearance.
Sources used: "Guardian", "GBNews", "Metro", "Express", "Evening Standard", "Chronicle Live", "Mirror", "BBC", "Manchester Evening"
Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
