British teen Bella Culley detained in Georgia until September drug trial

British Teenager to Remain in Georgian Jail as Trial on Drug Charges Awaits

A court in Tbilisi has ruled that Bella Culley, a British teenager, must stay in detention for at least five more weeks while she awaits trial on drug-related charges.

Culley, whose great-grandfather was a former Labour MP, was detained upon arrival at the city’s airport in May after authorities allegedly found a significant quantity of illegal substances in her luggage, which she had brought from Thailand.

During a brief court session on Thursday, Culley addressed the judge, stating, “I hope you understand my story from my perspective. I never imagined something like this would happen to me.”

Her legal representative, Malkhaz Salakia, argued that there was no proof she knowingly violated the law, saying, “Others pressured my client into this without her awareness.”

Culley reportedly ended her statement by thanking the court in Georgian with the word “madloba.”

Salakia informed the court that Culley is expecting a child. “She will soon be a mother—she’s due to have a boy. I want her to experience this significant moment in her life freely,” he said. “She turned 19 in June, and this is her first time becoming a parent.”

He further stated that since the alleged offense was not directly linked to Georgia and her family—first her father and now her mother—had been present to support her, she posed no threat of interference with witnesses, who are law enforcement and officials. He proposed she report to authorities twice a month or daily rather than remain jailed.

“Considering summer conditions and the health needs of a pregnant woman in July, we have proposed a resolution involving payment of 50,000 Georgian lari (over £13,500), which would be settled immediately, allowing her release,” Salakia said.

However, the judge determined no new grounds for release had been presented, meaning Culley would stay in custody until her trial on 2 September unless an agreement is reached earlier.

Throughout the hearing, Culley and her mother, Lyanne Kennedy, exchanged glances and smiles before Kennedy became emotional upon learning the gender of her future grandchild. “I’ll visit you tomorrow; I love you,” she told her daughter.

Georgian officials indicated that if convicted, Culley, originally from Billingham in northeast England, could face up to 20 years or a life sentence. Police reported confiscating nearly 12kg of marijuana and about 2kg of hashish from her bag at the airport.

Culley’s great-grandfather, Frank Cook, served as a Labour MP representing Stockton North for 27 years, later becoming a deputy speaker in the House of Commons. He passed away in 2012 at age 76.

The UK Foreign Office previously stated it was assisting the family of a detained British citizen in Georgia. Meanwhile, police in northeast England confirmed an 18-year-old woman from Billingham had been arrested in Georgia on drug-related allegations and remained in custody.