Joshua Nair
The British teenager who was accused of trafficking over £200,000 of drugs may be forced to pay a handsome figure to secure her release from prison.
Bella May Culley was detained at Tbilisi International Airport in Georgia in May, having allegedly travelled from Thailand with around 12kg of marijuana and hashish in her luggage.
The 19-year-old was reported missing by her family after losing contact with her in while she travelled across Asia, until her criminal charges came to light.
Now facing drug trafficking charges, Culley's trial was due to take place yesterday (2 September) before being suddenly adjourned as Judge Giorgi Gelashvili spoke of an ‘ongoing success in negotiations’.
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Her lawyers are reportedly close to reaching a plea bargain with officials, meaning that she could be freed from prison soon - if her family pay an eye-watering fee.
Culley has claimed to have been 'coerced' into the act while also reporting that she is pregnant.
Her family are out in Georgia at the moment too, with an agreement said to be close to secure her release in the face of a prison sentence of over 20 years.
The teen's lawyer, Malkhaz Salakaia, said that 'negotiations are close to completion' in an update to The Sun, without disclosing the exact figure.
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However, a local lawyer has provided a well-informed estimate on just how much the Culleys could have to pay to free their daughter.
Speaking to the publication, Georgian lawyer Anna Putkaradze, who specialises in high-profile cases with foreigners, explained: “If the prosecution is calculating the fine based on the estimated street value of the drugs in Britain, rather than in Georgia.
“I would estimate it at around £100,000.”
She said that while the law doesn't state that the fee should be half of what the drug is worth, she notes that 'when contraband goods are discovered, the fine is usually set at roughly 50%', according to the Customs Code and the practice of the Revenue Service.
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The legal specialist also explained that other factors play a part too, with the law carrying punishments anywhere from 15 years to life imprisonment.
The drugs' intended final destination, a criminal record, no resulting harm, and her pregnancy could all influence the final decision.
Judge Giorgi Gelashvili recently denied Culley's £13,752 bail plea but she was told that when a plea deal was agreed, she would be returned to court.
This would mean that the teen could walk free the second a deal was struck, as her lawyer said to journalists yesterday: “If her family is ready to pay the sum that the state is demanding she can go straight to the airport.”
Culley's mum did admit that the plea deal would be a 'lot of money' for the family, as she explained: “They offered us a layered approach: this and this much to let her go immediately, and then another [lower] offer where she serves some amount.
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“I don’t know what to do.”
Salakaia agreed with this claim, as negotiations over a release fee continue.
“We are debating and negotiating on that aspect and it’s likely that this compromise will be reached before the [next hearing on] 9th of October,” he stated.