Bella Culley, a 19-year-old university student from Billingham on Teesside, finds herself at the center of an international legal and diplomatic storm after being arrested in Georgia, South Caucasus, on charges of drug trafficking. The case, which has gripped media outlets in both the United Kingdom and Georgia, raises troubling questions about coercion, diplomatic intervention, and the high stakes facing foreign nationals ensnared in the Georgian justice system.
According to BBC News, Bella was detained at Tbilisi International Airport on May 10, 2025, after Georgian police discovered 12 kilograms (26 pounds) of marijuana and 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds) of hashish in her travel bag. Authorities allege she was attempting to smuggle drugs into the country, a crime that carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years or even life imprisonment under Georgian law. The street value of the drugs, according to Daily Mail, was estimated at £200,000.
But the story, as recounted by Bella and her family, is far from straightforward. Bella, currently about five months pregnant, has consistently maintained her innocence, insisting she was the victim of a terrifying ordeal orchestrated by a British gang in Thailand. In a July court hearing, she told the judge, "I didn't want to do this, I was forced under torture. I just wanted to travel, I just want to live with my family, I am a loving person, I am studying at the university to become a nurse. All I wanted to do is travel, but bad things happened. I don't do drugs, as you can see in my blood tests I am clean. I always wanted to make my family proud. Thank you."
Her claims are harrowing: Bella says she was violently coerced by gang members in Thailand who burned her with an iron, showed her graphic beheading videos, and threatened to kill her family if she did not comply. The teenager had been reported missing in Thailand before turning up in Georgia, sparking an international search and a wave of concern among her loved ones.
For Bella’s family, the nightmare has only deepened as the legal proceedings have dragged on. Her mother, Lyanne Kennedy, has rarely left her side, attending court hearings and visiting her at the notorious Women's Penitentiary Number Five in Tbilisi. After a recent hearing, Lyanne was seen in tears, telling her daughter, "Bella, I will see you in the morning." The emotional toll on the family is palpable, with her grandfather William Culley and aunt Kerrie Culley also making the journey to Georgia to support her.
As the legal process unfolds, the family faces a daunting financial challenge. Experts such as Professor Anna Putkaradze, a Georgian lawyer specializing in high-profile cases involving foreigners, explained to the Daily Mail that the fine for Bella’s release is likely to be around £100,000—roughly half the street value of the drugs. "If the prosecution is calculating the fine based on the estimated street value of the heavy drugs in Britain, rather than in Georgia, I would estimate it at around £100,000," she said. The law does not explicitly require this amount, but precedent and customs practice often lead to such a figure as a compromise measure.
The family’s financial situation makes this demand especially punishing. Lyanne does not own a home in the UK, and Bella’s father, Niel Culley, lives in Vietnam, making it impossible to remortgage or sell property to raise the funds. Lyanne voiced her anguish: “I don't know what to do.” The family is exploring every possible avenue, but the sum remains out of reach for now.
The legal proceedings themselves have been fraught with delays and uncertainty. Bella’s trial, originally scheduled to begin in early September, was adjourned at the last minute, pushing the next hearing to October 9, 2025. Her lawyer, Malkhaz Salakaia, told reporters, “Negotiations over a plea bargain are ongoing, and not without success. We've heard counter-proposals from the prosecution. We need more time regarding a plea bargain for the family to better prepare for all technicalities.”
Salakaia has been outspoken in his criticism of the British embassy, accusing it of failing to provide sufficient support for Bella. He noted that since the family appointed a legal representative, the embassy has made only one in-person visit to the prison, on May 16, and has not provided any written references or checked on her health, despite her pregnancy. “I am dissatisfied with the British authorities for not supporting my client,” he said.
The Foreign Office, for its part, maintains that it is in contact with Bella’s family and local authorities. A spokesperson stated, “We are supporting a British woman who is detained in Georgia and are in contact with her family and the local authorities.” However, the lack of visible action has left the family feeling isolated and let down by their own government.
Bella’s legal team has attempted to secure bail, citing her pregnancy and willingness to cooperate, but the court denied the request. Salakaia proposed a bond of 50,000 lari (about £13,750), arguing, “She will be here [in Tbilisi], her family will take care of her, and she is ready to cooperate.” Nevertheless, the prosecution remains firm, demanding a substantial sum for her release.
Judge Gelashvili, presiding over the case, acknowledged the concerns for Bella’s health and that of her unborn child, stating, “Of course we are worried about Miss Bella's health and that of her child's, and obviously her child should develop in a free environment. Taking into consideration the ongoing success in negotiations and that the family need more time to consider the prosecution's offer, we can pledge that we can move the date of the next trial the very moment you reach an agreement.”
Meanwhile, the case has drawn attention to the broader issue of how foreign nationals are treated in the Georgian justice system, especially in high-profile drug cases. Professor Putkaradze emphasized that even when mitigating circumstances exist—such as cooperation with investigators, pregnancy, no prior convictions, and being a first-time offender—the gravity of the offense leaves little room for leniency. “The very nature of the offence imposes a binding constraint on the state, leaving little room for maneuver,” she explained.
As the October hearing approaches, Bella’s family continues their desperate efforts to raise the required funds and secure her release. The stakes could hardly be higher: if they fail, Bella faces the prospect of giving birth to her first child behind bars, far from home and family. The outcome of the ongoing plea negotiations and the next court hearing will determine not only Bella’s fate but also the fate of her unborn child—a situation that underscores the profound human cost of international drug trafficking cases.
For now, the family and their supporters are left waiting, hoping for a breakthrough that will allow Bella to return home and rebuild her life. The world will be watching as this dramatic and deeply personal saga continues to unfold in the Georgian courts.
