Parents of drugs mule accused in Georgia pay £137k to reduce sentence – reports | ITV News

Reports from Georgia say the parents of Bella May Culley have paid a £137,000 fine to authorities to reduce her sentence for drug trafficking.

It is understood the 19-year-old from Billingham on Teesside – who is pregnant – could still face up to two years in prison when a court reconvenes to finalise her punishment on Monday (3 November).

She has already served almost six months in jail, which may be reduced from her sentence. She had previously been warned she faced up to 20 years behind bars or life imprisonment for the alleged offence if convicted.

Culley was originally arrested in May this year at Tbilisi airport having been reported missing days earlier while travelling in Thailand.

At a court hearing in July, the teenager denied the offences saying she was tortured and that her family’s safety had been threatened.

Lawyers acting for the teenager said she never actually checked in the bag containing the drugs and had been trying to let airport staff know what was happening but feared she was being watched.

At the latest hearing on Tuesday morning (28 October), a “bail sum” of 500,000 Georgian Gel (£137,000 GBP approx) was confirmed to the court but prosecutors have apparently not yet confirmed the receipt of those funds to the court.

After the case was adjourned, Culley’s mother told reporters that the family had paid the money. And it has been claimed authorities there wanted even more to secure her release.

During the hearing the heavily pregnant teenager expressed concerns about what would happen to her baby if she was still in prison.

She was apparently reassured the child would not be taken away from her.

Reports from court describe her as looking calm but concerned during today’s hearing. She did smile and wave to her family, who were present once again as her case was heard.

It is not known if Culley would be allowed to serve her sentence back in the UK or under house arrest with her baby overseas but a “final verdict” in her case is expected when the court reconvenes on Monday.

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