A British teenager, Bella May Culley, who was arrested in Georgia earlier this year on drug smuggling charges, may receive a two-year prison sentence following a plea deal that involved her family paying over $180,000. Culley, 19 and pregnant, was apprehended at Tbilisi Airport in May for allegedly attempting to smuggle 12 kilograms of marijuana and 2 kilograms of hashish into the country. Initially facing up to 15 years or life imprisonment, her lawyer, Malkhaz Salakhaia, confirmed that a plea agreement is nearing finalization. Salakhaia stated, ‘Reaching an agreement with the prosecutor’s office is in its final stage. All conditions are known to my client and her family, with only technical issues remaining.’ The final verdict is expected to be announced on Monday, with the possibility of a presidential pardon if convicted. Culley’s mother, Lyanne Kennedy, disclosed that the family has paid 500,000 lari (approximately $184,000) as part of the plea bargain. In Georgia, financial plea agreements are legally permissible to reduce or eliminate prison sentences in certain cases, particularly in drug-related offenses. Culley, from Teesside in northeast England, was reported missing in Thailand before her arrest on May 10. She initially pleaded not guilty, claiming she was tortured in Thailand and coerced into carrying the drugs. Salakhaia noted visible signs of torture upon her arrival in Georgia, though it remains unclear if her plea changed as part of the deal.
Pregnant British teen may get 2-years in Georgia prison for drug smuggling after plea deal
