Bella May Culley set for emotional reunion with dad – but faces agonising wait
Brit teen Bella May Culley, 18, could soon be reunited with her dad in Georgia where she remains in prison, accused of carrying drugs into the country from Thailand
A suspected British teen drug smuggler detained in Georgia is due to have an emotional reunion with her dad — but he faces an agonising wait until tomorrow.
Bella May Culley, 18, was arrested in the former Soviet state after allegedly being caught with cannabis flying in from Thailand. The Mirror understands her dad Niel has jetted in to see her at the prison where she is being held — but may have to wait until tomorrow due to a paperwork hold-up. The 'scared' teen, who was thought to be missing in Thailand, told a court in Georgia this week that she is pregnant. Bella May, from Billingham, County Durham, was held at Tbilisi International Airport.
She is accused of carrying about 12kg of cannabis and around 2kg of hashish into the country. The Brit faces a lengthy spell behind bars if found guilty — which could be life in worst-case scenario.
Her state-assigned lawyer, Ia Todua, has said: 'The detainee says that she is pregnant. She needs special examination and attention... In addition, in my assessment, she was depressed, confused and scared.'
Todau told news outlet RFE/RL: 'When the accusation was presented, given that it was a foreign environment for her, it was her first time communicating with law enforcement officers, we agreed on such a position that she should exercise her right to remain silent in order to develop herself.'
Law enforcement is expected to contact the suspect 'in a few days' in her detention jail. 'If she wishes to cooperate with the investigation in terms of providing certain information regarding the accusation, this will be agreed upon later,' reported RFE/R citing the lawyer.
The British embassy in Tbilisi told the news outlet: 'We are assisting the family of the British woman detained in Georgia and are also in contact with the local authorities.'
Todau told RFE/RL that according to the case materials, Bella May arrived in Georgia from Thailand and, according to her travel tickets, intended to stay in Georgia.
Her granddad William Culley, 80, previously said he was "terrified" over the life sentence his granddaughter faces. He revealed his shock when family members had told him that Bella May had been detained in Georgia.
He added: "I said, 'in jail? what's she doing in jail? And then she said, 'drugs'. I couldn't believe it. Who the hell has she been with?
"She was on holiday with some friends, doing what 18-year-olds do - drinking and dancing. They must have met somebody who's taken advantage of her."
Mr Culley continued: ""She's got sucked into something, somehow," her granddad said. "She's not an international drug trafficker. Can she even tell them who's given her the drugs to take over?"
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