Pregnant British Teen Bella Culley Freed From Georgian Prison After Plea Deal

Bella Culley, a 19-year-old pregnant British teenager from Teesside, was released from a Georgian prison after spending nearly six months detained for smuggling 12 kilograms of marijuana and 2 kilograms of hashish. Facing a potential sentence of up to 20 years, Culley was freed following a plea deal that involved her family paying a fine of approximately £137,000 to reduce her sentence. Prosecutors showed leniency due to her age, pregnancy, good behavior, and cooperation, allowing her to be transferred to a mother and baby unit shortly before release. Culley expressed relief and happiness upon release, which was unexpected, and she is now free to leave Georgia with her passport returned. Her mother, Lyanne Kennedy, expressed immense relief outside the court, emphasizing the emotional toll of the ordeal. The case highlighted the strict drug laws in Georgia and the careful judicial consideration given her condition and circumstances.