BRIT Bella Culley caused a frenzy when she was first reported missing by her devastated family – only to be charged with drug smuggling days later.
The 19-year-old then went to court as she not only pleaded guilty to trafficking £200,000 worth of cocaine into Georgia but also whispered to her lawyer that she was pregnant.
Bella was facing not only a maximum sentence of 20 years behind bars but also the grim prospect of raising her first child from the inside of a hellish ex-Soviet prison cell.
During her trial Bella also revealed the real reason why she agreed to carry the drug-filled baggage from Thailand to Tbilisi.
She claimed a gang in Bangkok threatened to kill her family if she didn’t do as she was told and made her watch beheading videos.
Today saw another shocking revelation regarding Bella.
She was sensationally allowed to walk free as she was released from jail with a beaming smile on her face.
A judge sentenced her to five months and 25 days in prison as part of a plea deal.
The sentence was backdated to her first day locked up – meaning she was a free woman as soon as the court papers were signed.
An emotional and heavily pregnant Bella told reporters outside a Tbilisi court that she was “happy and relieved” to be freed.
The young Brit added that she never expected to be allowed to leave jail today.
She was also overhead on the phone to her dad back home laughing as she said: “I’m not in jail any more!”
Dad Niel replied: “That’s brilliant!”
SHOCK ARREST
When the world first heard the name Bella Culley it was from her family who were making a desperate appeal for help to find her.
At just 18 years old, the Culley family raised the alarm during Bella’s holiday to the Far East in May.
She had failed to contact anyone for several days, despite usually flooding her family with texts.
This sparked a huge international search operation.
Days later, a shocking drugs bust was reported on in Georgia.
Authorities said “an 18-year-old woman from Billingham has been arrested on suspicion of drugs offences and that she remains in their custody”.
Pictures soon revealed that the teen detained was Bella – an entire 4,000 miles away from where the search party was ongoing.
She was seen being hauled into court in handcuffs accused of trying to sneak 34 bags of marijuana in her luggage through the Georgian capital’s main airport.
PREGNANCY BOMBSHELL
Bella reportedly fell pregnant by a British man before becoming entangled in the lengthy ordeal.
When the teen was initially sentenced to 18 months in prison, it was expected she would give birth to her baby boy in the grim Georgian jail.
Her family desperately tried to clarify arrangements for the birth amid suggestions she might be granted a period of house arrest as she became close to term.
It’s understood the teen’s mum, Lyanne, had made plans to move to Georgia to help bring up the child – due around Christmas.
She insisted she did not want the baby to spend any time in prison so would be prepared to make the move from the UK.
After her daughter’s hearing, she said: “We want to know more about house arrest – I would have to come to Georgia to help.”
Bella, meanwhile, asked her lawyer Malkhaz Salakaia: “Will I be able to take the baby with me if I go back to jail?”
Mr Salakaia responded: ” Nobody is going to take the baby away from you.”
BEHEADING THREATS
Bella’s legal team told the court the teen was shown a gruesome beheading video and was warned she faced the same fate.
She feared for her life when she was put on the flight from Bangkok in May, her defence said, adding she was not aware she was trafficking any drugs.
The trainee nurse also claimed the gang threatened to harm her parents and 16-year-old brother – suggesting they knew where they lived.
Her Georgian lawyer Malkhaz Salakaia alleged the gang terrorised the teenager into becoming a mule.
He told The Sun: “They told her: ‘We know the addresses of your parents, we know where your 16-year-old brother is.’
“They made her watch a video of a man being decapitated and told her: ‘If you don’t do as you are told, this is what is going to happen to you and your family.’
“She felt queasy and almost fainted but they still forced her to watch it”
He added: “On the inside of her right arm there is a mark from this coercion.
“She was, so to say, branded – a hot iron was pressed on her arm.
“She was forced to do this – there was both psychological and physical pressure, the trace of which is still visible.
“As to her connection with this group, she knew several of them – they are British.
“At first she knew one, and then through him met the others. However, we have grounds to assume that this group also had local accomplices, including in Thailand.”
SHOCK RELEASE
Bella was sensationally released from prison today after serving six months behind bars in a hellhole Georgian prison.
Just minutes before Monday morning’s final hearing a new plea bargain deal was struck which allowed for her complete release from jail.
The court U-turn was formally confirmed by Judge Giorgi Gelashvili as Bella was told the news.
An onlooker said: “She was laughing and crying at the same time like she couldn’t believe it.”
She then said a few words outside of the Tbilisi court telling reporters she was “happy and relieved” to be freed.
The young Brit added that she never expected to be allowed to leave jail today.
Her emotional mum Lyanne Kennedy, 44, burst into tears when she was told the teen would walk free.
She sobbed outside court saying: “I am so happy, so happy – I know I don’t look like it, but so happy.
“We’ll need to get her passport and then we leave, either today or tomorrow.”
