Pregnant defendant Bella Culley’s legal team is aiming to secure her early release from prison before she delivers her baby, as per information obtained by the Mirror.
Despite agreeing to a two-year jail sentence through a plea deal, the 19-year-old British national, expected to give birth in December, is awaiting formal sentencing following accusations of drug smuggling from Thailand into Georgia.
During proceedings in Tbilisi, it was disclosed that Culley’s family, including her mother, Lyanne Kennedy, and her father, Niel Culley, an oil rig worker, have paid £138,000 to the court.
The specifics of whether she will complete her sentence in a women’s facility near Tbilisi, her current place of detention, remain undisclosed. There is a possibility of her being placed under house arrest or extradited to the UK for imprisonment.
Efforts are being made by Bella’s legal representatives to explore the option of seeking a presidential pardon. Failing that, due to her pregnancy and good conduct in custody, there is a chance for her release on parole before childbirth.
In the event that these legal maneuvers do not succeed, sources indicate that Bella will be relocated from prison to a nearby hospital for childbirth, where she and her child will be accommodated with a specially arranged room within the detention premises.
During a recent court session in Tbilisi, Bella, sporting a new hairstyle and dressed in a grey sleeveless cardigan and pink t-shirt, displayed a range of emotions upon learning the details of the plea agreement. However, she later smiled and happily greeted her mother, having already spent five months in pretrial detention.
Bella’s lawyer had previously hinted that the amount of the fine paid would influence the length of her sentence, potentially leading to a complete annulment of imprisonment based on the sum paid.
Following the court proceedings, Bella’s mother, Lyanne, a charity worker, disclosed that the court demanded a higher sum than what their family was able to offer for Bella’s release, with the original demand set at £220,000.
The prosecutor confirmed the acceptance of the plea bargain conditions, while Bella’s lawyer expressed readiness for the final verdict to be delivered at a subsequent hearing.
Despite a plea for bail made by Bella’s legal counsel due to her advanced pregnancy, the request was denied by Judge Giorgi Gelashvili, citing no legal grounds for altering Bella’s current conditions.
Reflecting on the situation, Bella inquired about the possibility of keeping her baby with her if she returns to jail, to which her lawyer reassured her that her child would not be separated from her.
Originally a student nurse from Billingham, Teesside, Bella’s journey from Pattaya, Thailand, to Georgia resulted in her arrest for drug trafficking, involving the discovery of a substantial amount of cannabis in her possession.
Bella has claimed that she was coerced into drug trafficking by criminals who subjected her to torture and threats against her family. Her lawyer has reported that Bella’s pregnancy is progressing smoothly, ensuring that she will have contact with her child post-delivery.
