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British teenager Bella May Culley, who had been detained in Georgia on drug smuggling charges, has walked free following a plea agreement.
Culley, 19, who is currently pregnant, was apprehended in May at Tbilisi Airport. She faced accusations of trying to bring 12 kilograms of marijuana and two kilograms of hashish into the country.
On Monday, a Georgian court found her guilty, sentencing her to five months and 25 days—the exact duration she had already been held. Additionally, her family settled a 500,000 lari (approximately $282,000) fine as part of the plea bargain.
Both Culley and her mother, Lyanne Kennedy, were visibly emotional as the verdict was announced, sharing an embrace at the conclusion of the hearing.
Originally, Georgian prosecutors considered a two-year sentence. However, as case prosecutor Vakhtang Tsalughelashvili explained to The Associated Press, they opted to acknowledge the time Culley had already served.
“We reviewed the case, taking into account the confession of the accused, her age and condition, and ultimately, the parties reached an agreement.”
The teenager was informed of the decision shortly before the court session began. Her mother told the AP she had believed that she would only see her daughter in person again when her grandchild was born.
“It was totally unexpected,” she said.
She also joked to Culley that she might name her unborn baby in honour of her lawyer, Malkhaz Salakhaia.
Salakhaia confirmed that Culley would be given her passport and would be free to leave the country.
The lawyer also said she believed that the court “made the decision they had to make” based on the circumstances of the case.
“Bella was sincere throughout the investigation,” Salakhaia said.
Culley initially faced a maximum penalty of up to 15 years or life in prison.
In Georgia, a nation of 3.7 million in the South Caucasus, the law allows for financial plea agreements that can be reached to reduce or eliminate a prison sentence in certain cases. Such plea agreements are often reached in drug-related cases.
Culley, who is from Teesside, in north-east England, was reported missing in Thailand prior to her arrest at the Tbilisi airport on May 10.
The teenager pleaded not guilty to the charges after her arrest, saying she was tortured in Thailand and forced to carry the drugs.
Salakhaia has told reporters that she showed visible physical signs of torture upon her arrival in Georgia.