Bella May Culley faces decades behind bars in Georgia after allegedly smuggling cannabis into the country – a family friend has now expressed fears that she had met ‘drug runners’ in Thailand beforehand
A family friend of British teen Bella May Culley say they believe she was meeting with drug runners in Thailand. The 18-year-old was initially reported missing in Thailand after concerned family members became alarmed when she stopped posting to her social media accounts.
She then turned up nearly 4,000 miles away in handcuffs in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi, accused of smuggling 30lbs of cannabis into the ex-Soviet state. If found guilty she could be jailed for life. Bella also claimed she is pregnant, and Georgian authorities are reportedly set to examine her to test that claim in the coming days.
READ MORE: Bella May Culley LIVE: ‘Pregnant’ teen to face medical examination in Georgia jail
A family friend of Bella has claimed the teenager was ‘completely exploited’ after falling in with British drug dealers while backpacking.
They told the Mirror: “This is totally out of character for her – I know, because she’s a close friend of my daughter. She’s just a normal 18-year-old. She’s not some hardened criminal. I’ve known this girl for years, and it’s obvious to anyone who truly knows her that something’s not right here.”
They said Bella had met with some people in Thailand, and added: “I’d put money on them being drug runners.” They went on: “To then suddenly to go from Philippines and to Thailand seems strange to me. But she is a nice girl and I’ll say that to anyone. It’s totally out of character and I don’t know what’s happened.
“Her dad’s in bits. Her family’s in bits. I hope somebody sees some sense that she’s not a criminal. She’s a victim. Imagine your own daughter in that position – it’s terrifying. God knows what kind of pressure or threats these people put on her.”
Bella’s distraught dad Niel and aunt Kerrie are currently battling to see the 18-year-old in Georgian capital Tbilisi today. Her grandfather William Culley, 80, said: “Last night they were told they could see her in the morning. They said they’d ring me straight after they had seen her but I haven’t had a call. They must still be waiting.
“It’s just really important that they get to see her as soon as possible. The poor bairn must be at her wits’ end. Especially if we can’t see her. Everything should be done to make that happen.”
Mr Culley said Bella had travelled to the Philippines with plans to meet a male who had moved to the country from the North East.
He said: “She went to the Philippines to see somebody, a lad there, who she used to go out with a couple of years ago, who was working out there.
“She said, ‘I’m going on my own, but I’m I’m meeting Ross out there.’ Or Russ, I’m not sure what his name is… But now I wonder if what she told me was true.”
Bella’s father Niel lives in Vietnam but retains a property in Billingham, Co Durham. Mr Culley said he had been instructed by his son to market the house to raise money towards legal help for his daughter, who had recently started doing bank shifts as a nurse.
He said he was “surprised” when lawyers for Bella revealed she is pregnant. “I only found out when my daughter told me last night.”