Pregnant teenager accused of drug smuggling in Georgia moved to special unit

A pregnant British teenager accused of drug smuggling has been moved to a mother and baby unit in a Georgian prison, her mother said.

Bella May Culley, 19, who is reported to be eight months pregnant, was arrested at Tbilisi Airport in May.

It is alleged that the 19-year-old, from Teesside, tried to smuggle 12 kilograms (26.4 pounds) of marijuana and two kilograms (4.4 pounds) of hashish into the country.

Culley’s mother, Lyanne Kennedy, told the BBC that her daughter has been transferred to a prison with a mother and baby unit.

She was previously being held at Georgia’s Rustavi Prison Number Five, with the broadcaster reporting that she only had access to a hole in the ground for a toilet, one hour of fresh air each day and communal showers twice a week.

Ms Kennedy told the BBC that during Culley’s stint in the prison she toasted bread over a candle flame and boiled pasta in a kettle.

But now she has been moved to a different prison and her conditions appear to have improved, she said.

“She now gets two hours out for walking, she can use the communal kitchen, has a shower in her room and a proper toilet,” Ms Kennedy told the BBC.

“They all cook for each other – Bella has been making eggy bread and cheese toasties, and salt and pepper chicken.”

Ms Kennedy told the broadcaster the family is doing everything it can to get Culley home “where she should be”.

She said her daughter’s full story “will come in time”, adding: “Until then we are just a family doing everything we can for my daughter and grandson.”

It has been reported that the teenager has described being tortured by gangsters in Thailand and forced to bring the drugs into the country.

It is expected that Culley will find out her sentence on Monday after her lawyers negotiated with judicial authorities in Georgia.

Her family has paid more than £137,000 as part of a plea deal aimed at reducing her sentence.

Her lawyer, Malkhaz Salakaia, told the BBC that once an agreement was reached he would appeal to the president of Georgia to pardon the teenager.

Published: 02/11/2025 by Radio NewsHub