Miracle in Tbilisi as pregnant Bella Culley, 19, walks free after six months in a high-security Georgian prison for smuggling cannabis, is reunited with her mother, has her passport returned and is now urgently preparing to fly home to the United Kingdom to give birth.
On Monday, 19-year-old Bella May Culley walked free from a Tbilisi courtroom in what felt like a minor miracle, flanked by her mother, Lyanne Kennedy. The sentence matched the time she had already served in a high-security Georgian prison. Moments later, she was quietly handed back her passport while consular officials and family scrambled to arrange her flight home to the United Kingdom. The court session ended a six-month nightmare for the family. Culley’s case had gripped international headlines after she claimed she was forced to carry 12 kilograms of cannabis and 2 kilograms of hashish via the United Arab Emirates to Georgia. She had already pleaded guilty to the charges, and her release came as part of a plea deal, reportedly involving a payment of around $184,000 to the court by her family.
British teenager Bella May Culley, 19, was released from a Georgian prison on Monday following a plea deal. She had been detained since May after being arrested at Tbilisi Airport for attempting to smuggle drugs into the country. Culley, who is heavily pregnant, pleaded guilty to carrying 12 kilograms of marijuana and 2 kilograms of hashish.
The Georgian court sentenced her to five months and 25 days in prison, equivalent to the time she had already served. Additionally, her family paid a 500,000 lari fine, around $184,000, as part of the agreement. The plea deal allowed her immediate release. Culley left the courthouse just minutes after the verdict.
Her mother, Lyanne Kennedy, 44, was present and sobbed when informed of the outcome. “I am so happy, so happy — I know I don’t look like it, but so happy,” she said. Kennedy said she had feared she would not see her daughter again before the baby’s birth.
Mother weeps as teenage daughter walks free from Georgian prison after months behind bars
Meanwhile, Culley expressed relief and gratitude, thanking her lawyer and everyone involved in finalising the plea.
Just last week, UK tabloids were titillating readers about the harsh living conditions in the Soviet-era prison she was being held in. One report spoke of toasting bread by candle.
Georgian prosecutors had initially considered a two-year sentence. However, the prosecutor, Vakhtang Tsalughelashvili, said they factored in her time already served. Consequently, the court approved the plea agreement. Under Georgian law, financial settlements can reduce or eliminate prison sentences in certain drug-related cases. Plea agreements are common in foreign nationals’ cases, especially when mitigating circumstances exist.
Culley is originally from Billingham, Teesside, in northeast England. She was reported missing in Thailand before her arrest in Georgia. Authorities said she had fallen under the influence of a Thai criminal gang while backpacking in the Far East. She later became pregnant during the trip.
Teen from northeast England detained overseas after alleged coercion by Thai gang led to pregnancy
At Tbilisi Airport, customs officers found cannabis worth £200,000 concealed in her suitcase. Culley initially pleaded not guilty, claiming Thai elements had tortured her and forced her to carry the drugs. She showed a scar on her wrist, alleging it proved abuse during her time in Thailand.
However, Thai authorities rejected her claims. CCTV footage from Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok shows Culley calmly passing through automated passport control. Thai immigration officials stated there were no signs of distress, coercion or interaction with police.
Police Lieutenant General Choengron Rimpadee said, “There is absolutely no factual basis to her claims.” He added she boarded her flight to Sharjah on May 10 without incident.
Culley’s legal team argued she did not know the bag contained drugs. Nonetheless, Georgian law applies strict liability for drug offences. She remained in custody for six days short of six months in Rustavi’s Prison No. 5, a high-security facility.
Her release allowed her to reunite with her mother outside the courthouse. Witnesses reported she was simultaneously laughing and crying. Holding a phone to her ear, she spoke to her father, Niel Culley, an oil rig technician. She told him, “I’m not in jail anymore!” Outside the court, she told reporters she felt “happy and relieved” and had not expected immediate release.
CCTV evidence contradicts teen claims as she reunites with family after months in Georgia prison
Culley now faces a race to return to the United Kingdom to give birth to her first child. Her family is working with British consular staff to arrange documentation and safe travel. Airlines usually allow pregnant women to fly up to 36 weeks but require a doctor’s “fit-to-fly” letter after 28 weeks. Although her exact stage of pregnancy is unclear, she is expected to deliver a baby boy before Christmas.
The case drew international attention because it highlights how young travellers can become entangled in cross-border criminal networks.
Thai authorities confirmed that similar schemes target inexperienced Western backpackers. Police Lieutenant Colonel Arun Musikim said criminals offer free trips, accommodations, and spending money, then pressure travellers to carry packages abroad. Culley and another British woman, Charlotte May Lee, fit this profile. Lee, 21, was at the time arrested in Sri Lanka on comparable charges.
Investigators noted that the drugs in both cases were industrially vacuum-sealed, suggesting professional smuggling networks. Moreover, the substance Culley carried, Kush, is a synthetic cannabinoid known for containing harmful chemicals such as formalin and tramadol.
Law enforcement officials have warned that the drug is highly dangerous and rapidly spreading in Asia and Africa.
Thai police warn young tourists about pot smuggling and criminal exploitation targeting backpackers
Thai officials said criminal gangs exploit the legalisation of cannabis under controlled conditions. They continue to monitor travellers and coordinate closely with customs and the Office of the Narcotics Control Board.
Surveillance is particularly heightened at international Thai airports. Officers advise young travellers to avoid accepting unsolicited packages and to be aware of online lures.
Culley’s release in Georgia illustrates the country’s legal flexibility for foreign offenders. Financial settlements and plea agreements can substitute for prison time, particularly when mitigating factors like pregnancy exist. Legal experts noted that her immediate release was rare but lawful. It also demonstrates the importance of consular intervention in urgent cases.
The teenager’s case has already had a ripple effect. It certainly spotlights the challenges young travellers face in foreign jurisdictions and the dangers of cross-border criminal exploitation. In addition, it reveals the strict nature of Georgian and Asian drug laws. Courts in Georgia and Sri Lanka apply strict liability. This means defendants face severe penalties regardless of intent.
Release highlights legal flexibility in Georgia and exposes risks young travellers face in foreign jurisdictions
Before her release, Culley spent months confined in her Georgian high-security prison, separated from family and limited in movement. Her release allowed her to reunite with loved ones for the first time in months. She immediately celebrated her freedom, a moment described as “unbelievably emotional” by onlookers.
The case also attracted scrutiny from the media and legal observers in the United Kingdom. Both the public and officials monitored developments closely, particularly because of her pregnancy. British consular staff worked to expedite her travel documentation, ensuring she could leave Georgia safely.
Culley’s story follows a pattern observed in several cases involving young Western travellers in Southeast Asia. Police have repeatedly warned that gangs exploit the naivety of backpackers. They promise financial and logistical support, then pressure victims into transporting narcotics. Thai authorities maintain strict surveillance at airports and monitor suspicious travellers closely.
Culley’s claims of coercion have not been validated. Undoubtedly, CCTV at Suvarnabhumi Airport evidence contradicts her account. Thai officials insist she passed through airport controls calmly, with no sign of duress. Georgian authorities, however, permitted her release due to her plea, time served, and financial settlement.
Teen’s release concludes six-month ordeal as international cooperation ensures safe return to family
Her case concludes a dramatic six-month saga of arrest, detention, and international legal proceedings. She now prepares to return to the United Kingdom and give birth under family care rather than prison conditions. Airlines, consular staff, and her family are coordinating to ensure her a joyful and safe journey home.
Culley’s release represents a rare instance where international legal cooperation and plea agreements combine to resolve a high-profile drug case.
Bella May Culley tries to lie her way out of her Georgian hellhole prison by blaming Thai border guards
Second UK woman is jailed in a third-world hellhole after smuggling cannabis-based drugs from Bangkok
Meanwhile, authorities continue to pursue transnational smuggling networks. Investigators noted the industrial-scale packaging used in both Culley’s and Lee’s cases. Officials warn that young travellers remain targets for exploitation and must exercise caution.
Bella May Culley, 19, leaves Georgia free, her legal battle concluded, and her immediate future focused on family and childbirth.
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Further reading:
Health Minister Somsak launches regulatory blitz to outlaw non-medical cannabis use within 40 days
Outbound cannabis smuggling smashed by Chiang Mai police this week. Europe and London targeted
Buriram cannabis factory raided for illegal Vietnamese staff as drugs czar declares a new regime
UK ambassador meets top Thai officials to hear about plans to rein in cannabis as smuggling surges
