Bella May Culley, the 18-year-old Brit arrested overseas for alleged drug smuggling, is now believed to be facing “extreme” conditions as she remains detained in an undisclosed foreign prison
Georgia: Bella May Culley appears in court on drugs charges
Teen Bella May Culley was last seen on Wednesday as she appeared at a Georgian court in handcuffs. The 18-year-old, from County Durham, is accused of smuggling “34 hermetically sealed packages containing marijuana, as well as 20 packages of hashish” at Tbilisi International Airport.
She was arrested on suspicion of drug offences after her family reported her missing on Saturday as she was travelling in Southeast Asia. Ms Culley has been remanded in custody as she awaits trial, with local media claiming she poses a flight risk after her bid for bail was rejected by a judge.
Georgia’s Interior Ministry said in a statement this week that it “envisions up to 20 years – or life imprisonment” for Ms Culley’s alleged crime if found guilty. And in the meantime, the nursing student could spend nine months behind bars as authorities investigate whether she smuggled drugs into the country.
She would likely serve her sentence at Georgia’s only female prison, Tblisi prison No.5, an institution where prisoners have complained about the dire treatment. A 2015 report from a monitoring group with the Georgian Public Ombudsman revealed that new intake prisoners are “inspected naked and are requested to squat”, something inmates “consider degrading treatment”.
The public has grown concerned for the well-being of the teen, with legal experts warning her future hangs in the balance. Her lawyer, Ia Todua, disclosed: “When I explained to her that what she was accused of was an especially severe crime then she was concerned and visibly shaken.”
Speaking to The Mirror, James Pipe, a legal expert at Felons Assistance, revealed there are three factors that will determine whether she’ll face years behind bars or a possible return to the UK. He explains: “Ultimately, what’s in store for her hinges on three key factors: the progress of the foreign trial, diplomatic pressure from the UK government, and any formal legal agreements between the two countries.”
He adds: “Until then, she’s likely to remain detained under that country’s rules, in their system, and that could mean facing a very different standard of justice and care than we’re used to here in Britain.”
Bella, whose arrest stunned those who knew her, is thought to be in a jurisdiction with limited legal protections, where overcrowding, poor sanitation, and language barriers can turn detention into prolonged suffering. And according to James, her family may struggle to see her due to strict rules. “In terms of family access, it often comes down to the discretion of the local authorities and the prison’s internal policy,” he says.
“Even when a family member travels across the world, visitation can be denied if proper documentation, legal clearance, or diplomatic approval hasn’t been secured in advance.” Bella’s family reported her missing on Saturday after failing to hear from her while the teen was thought to be backpacking around Thailand.
She had failed to update her mother Lyanne Kennedy, as planned while she was travelling, prompting a search. A British Foreign Office spokesperson has since confirmed that Bella, from Billingham, had been detained in Georgia and that they were supporting the teenager’s family.
James warns that conditions in these prisons can cause foreign nationals to become isolated due to “language barriers”, adding: “This can have a serious impact on their mental health and ability to build a legal defence.”
Her father, Neil Culley and aunt flew out to Bangkok over the weekend to find out more about Bella’s whereabouts, only to discover that she was detained in Georgia. The teen has reportedly told prosecutors in Georgia that she is pregnant. Her state-appointed lawyer revealed that “She told the court and later me as well that she is pregnant”.
The lawyer continued in a statement: “This was her first time in the court and she was terrified and confused, kind of lost. Because of that we decided to exercise the right to remain silent. In a few days, after we’ve had consultations and discussions, we’ll decide whether and how to adjust this position. New lawyers, private ones, both Georgian and British, will soon be involved and more details will be told.”
But James warns it could be a lengthy process ahead, adding: “As for whether she could be extradited back to the UK to serve her sentence here – it’s highly unlikely unless she is convicted and the UK has a prisoner transfer agreement in place with that specific country.
“These transfers are rare, slow, and often dependent on political will. Even then, the original sentence must typically be mirrored or accepted by the UK court system, which adds layers of bureaucracy.”
READ MORE: Bella May Culley’s horrified reaction after being told severity of alleged crime