A teenage girl from Britain who is pregnant and accused of smuggling drugs has been relocated to a special unit for mothers and babies within a prison in Georgia, where she now has access to amenities like a shower and a proper toilet, according to her mother.
The girl, identified as Bella May Culley, 19 years old and reportedly eight months pregnant, was apprehended at Tbilisi Airport in May for allegedly attempting to bring in 12 kilograms of marijuana and two kilograms of hashish into the country.
Her mother, Lyanne Kennedy, disclosed to the BBC that her daughter has been transferred to a facility with better conditions after being held at Rustavi Prison Number Five in Georgia, where she had limited access to basic necessities.
Kennedy mentioned that Culley’s living conditions have significantly improved at the new prison, with the teenager now granted more freedom for activities like walking, using the communal kitchen, having a private shower, and access to a proper toilet. The family is actively working towards bringing Culley back home to her rightful place, Kennedy emphasized.
Culley had shared her ordeal of being coerced by criminals in Thailand and forced to transport drugs into the country. Her sentencing is scheduled for Monday following negotiations between her legal team and the judicial authorities in Georgia.
As part of a plea agreement to reduce her sentence, Culley’s family has paid a substantial sum of money. Her lawyer, Malkhaz Salakaia, intends to seek a presidential pardon for the teenager once the agreement is finalized.
Culley is expected to receive a two-year jail term, as stipulated in the plea deal. Despite her impending birth in December, the sentencing will proceed as planned.
The prosecutor confirmed the plea agreement and expressed satisfaction with the conditions being met. Culley’s lawyer also affirmed the agreement and requested the final hearing for the verdict to be passed by the judge.
Despite a plea for bail before the sentencing, the judge denied the request, stating no legal basis for altering Culley’s current situation due to her pregnancy.
Salakaia assured Culley that she will not be separated from her baby, though it remains uncertain whether she will serve her entire sentence in a Tbilisi jail or if alternative arrangements like house arrest or extradition to the UK may be considered.