A pregnant teenager named Bella Culley is set to return to the UK today after being granted approval to board a non-stop flight. The 19-year-old, originally from Billingham in Teesside, had been detained in Georgia on charges related to drug smuggling. However, she was released on compassionate grounds. Bella, along with her mother Lyanne Kennedy, will be flying back to London Luton Airport on an easyJet flight this evening.
Culley, who was facing a sentencing in Georgia for allegedly carrying marijuana and hashish in her luggage, spent five months in a Georgian prison before her release. Initially facing a two-year prison term, her sentence was reduced to less than six months after a plea deal was reached between her defense team and prosecutors. The decision to release her was influenced by her age and pregnancy status.
Prosecutor Vakhtang Tsalugelashvili mentioned that their decision to release Bella was based on her cooperation, good behavior, and her impending motherhood. The authorities in Georgia showed leniency towards her given her current situation. Footage outside the court captured Bella expressing relief upon her release, stating that she was not expecting to be freed.
Concerning her prison conditions, Bella’s mother indicated that she did not wish to discuss it, and Bella promptly requested to leave. She is now scheduled to be picked up from Luton Airport and driven back to her residence in the North East of England.
