On November 3, 2025, a courtroom in Tbilisi, Georgia, became the unlikely stage for a moment of relief and joy as Bella Culley, a 19-year-old British woman from Billingham, Teesside, was released after spending nearly six months in prison on serious drug trafficking charges. The case, which has captivated audiences in the United Kingdom and Georgia alike, ended with the young, heavily pregnant woman walking free—her ordeal a stark reminder of the risks and complexities facing travelers abroad and the shifting tides of international justice.
Culley’s story began earlier this year when she set off on what was supposed to be a journey of discovery in Southeast Asia. According to The Independent, after completing an access course at Middlesbrough College and hoping to become a nurse, she traveled to the Philippines in April before moving on to Thailand in early May. However, what should have been an adventure quickly unraveled into a nightmare. She went missing in Thailand, prompting frantic concern from her family back home. Her mother, Lyanne Kennedy, told reporters, “That was the last message anyone has received from what we can figure out up to now. I’m just waiting on her dad who is now in Bangkok to get back with any more information. I just want her home and safe or to hear her gorgeous little voice.”
Just days after losing contact, Culley surfaced again—but this time in the custody of Georgian authorities. She was arrested on May 10, 2025, at Tbilisi International Airport after customs officials discovered 12 kilograms (26 pounds) of marijuana and 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds) of hashish in her luggage. The charges were grave: drug smuggling and trafficking, offenses that could carry up to 20 years in prison under Georgia’s toughened narcotics laws, as reported by Reuters and BBC News.
What unfolded next was a high-profile legal and diplomatic struggle. At her first hearing in July, Culley pleaded not guilty, telling the court, “I did not want to do this. I was forced to do this through torture. I just wanted to travel. I am a good person. I am a student at university. I am a clean person. I don’t do drugs.” According to BBC News and The Independent, she claimed she had been coerced by a Thai drug gang, who allegedly tortured her with a hot iron and threatened violence against her and her family unless she transported the drugs. Her lawyer, Malkhaz Salakaia, said, “The torture occurred before the transportation of the luggage, which she never touched. Specific individuals handled and checked in her luggage.” Salakaia also stated that Culley showed visible signs of torture upon arriving in Georgia, and that Georgian police had launched a separate investigation into her allegations.
While in custody, Culley’s conditions were at times described as harsh. She was initially held in Rustavi Prison Number Five, a women-only facility south of Tbilisi. The Independent reported that her family said she had to boil pasta in a kettle and toast bread over candles. Though the prison is considered one of Georgia’s most modern, a 2023 inspection found issues such as limited exercise, intermittent water supply, and poor hygiene access. Later, due to her advanced pregnancy—eight months along at the time of her release—she was transferred to a “mother and baby” unit.
Behind the scenes, her family and legal team worked feverishly to secure her freedom. Negotiations with Georgian prosecutors went on for months, with her family raising funds to pay a substantial sum as part of a plea bargain. According to National World and The Independent, her parents paid more than £137,000 (500,000 Georgian lari, or roughly $187,000) to reduce her sentence. Prosecutor Vakhtang Tsalughelashvili told the Associated Press, “We reviewed the case, taking into account the confession of the accused, her age and condition, and ultimately, the parties reached an agreement.”
The final twist came just minutes before her last court appearance. Prosecutors, citing her confession, young age, and pregnancy, agreed to a deal: Culley would be sentenced to five months and 25 days—the time she had already served. As the verdict was read, Culley and her mother embraced, both crying with happiness. “It was totally unexpected,” Kennedy said to the Associated Press. “I thought I would only see my daughter after the birth of my grandson.”
Outside the courthouse, a visibly emotional Culley told reporters she was “happy and relieved” and admitted she hadn’t expected to walk free that day. She hugged her lawyer and, in a touching phone call with her father, exclaimed, “I’m not in jail anymore dad.” The family now hopes to retrieve her passport and return to the UK as soon as possible. Kennedy even suggested naming her soon-to-be-born grandson after their lawyer, Salakaia, in gratitude for his efforts.
Legal experts and observers note that Culley’s release comes at a time when Georgia is tightening its drug laws. Earlier in 2025, the government passed amendments increasing penalties for narcotics offenses, with smuggling carrying up to 20 years or even life. The case has raised questions about the role of plea bargains, the impact of international pressure, and the treatment of foreign nationals in Georgia’s justice system.
Meanwhile, the story has sparked debate in both countries. Some see Culley as a victim of international criminal networks and a harsh legal system, while others argue that the severity of the offense warranted tough action. Her grandfather, William Culley, told The Mirror, “She’s not daft, she’s an intelligent girl. Why has she done it? Has someone dangled money in front of her? We just don’t know what has gone on until we get out there and talk to her. She must be terrified.”
As for Culley herself, she has maintained her innocence regarding intent, insisting that she was coerced and never intended to break the law. Her lawyer has indicated plans to appeal to the president of Georgia for a formal pardon, even as the family prepares for the birth of her child and the journey home.
Bella Culley’s ordeal is a sobering tale of how quickly fortunes can turn for young travelers abroad, especially when they find themselves caught between criminal exploitation and the full force of foreign justice. For now, though, one chapter has closed—and a new one, marked by freedom and family, is about to begin.
