British national Bella Culley, known as a “drug mule,” has reached a plea agreement with Georgian authorities, leading to a two-year jail sentence. The 19-year-old, expected to deliver a baby in December, faces sentencing next week for her alleged involvement in smuggling drugs into Georgia earlier this year.
At a hearing in Tbilisi, it was disclosed that Culley’s family, including her mother Lyanne Kennedy, 44, and father Niel Culley, 49, paid 500,000 Georgian Lari (£138,000) to the court. Culley, dressed in a grey sleeveless cardigan and pink t-shirt with a new hairstyle, appeared surprised during the brief court session.
Despite serving five months in jail on remand, Culley smiled and waved at her mother, with her lawyer indicating that the fine amount paid would impact the length of her sentence, potentially leading to its cancellation.
Following the hearing, Lyanne mentioned that the court demanded a higher sum for her daughter’s release than what the family could provide. The initial demand was 800,000 Georgian Lari (£220,000). The prosecution confirmed that the plea deal terms were met, paving the way for the final verdict in the upcoming sentencing hearing next Monday.
Culley’s lawyer requested her release on bail due to her advanced pregnancy, but the judge denied the motion citing insufficient legal grounds for a change in her conditions. It remains uncertain whether Culley will serve her entire sentence in Tbilisi or be placed under house arrest or extradited to the UK.
The student nurse from Billingham, Teesside, who went missing in Thailand before being found in Georgia, was arrested after authorities discovered a significant quantity of cannabis and hashish in her luggage.
Culley claimed she was coerced by gangsters who threatened her and her family, leading her to traffic the drugs against her will. Despite her ordeal, she maintained her innocence, stating that she was forced into the situation through torture.
After the court session, her lawyer assured that Culley’s pregnancy was progressing well and she would have the opportunity to bond with her baby upon giving birth.