A British teenager held in prison in Georgia was "tortured" into smuggling drugs, she told a pre-trial hearing as she was refused bail. Bella Culley, 19, from Billingham, Teesside, appeared at Tbilisi City Court and pleaded not guilty to charges of possession and trafficking a large amount of illegal drugs. Mr Malkhaz Salakaia, representing Miss Culley, said she had been threatened with a hot iron to coerce her into travelling with the suitcase filled with drugs. Miss Culley stood in front of the judge in the courtroom and showed her right wrist which had a scar on it. Speaking in court, the 19-year-old said: "I did not want to do this. I was forced to do this through torture. "I just wanted to travel. I am a good person. I am a student at university. I am a clean person. I don't do drugs." Miss Culley initially went missing in Thailand before being arrested in Tbilisi International Airport on 10 May. Mr Salakaia, who does not speak English and specialises in juvenile law, said the teenager was not aware of what was in her suitcase. Addressing the court, Mr Salakaia said the teenager tried to inform customs officers in Thailand "but nobody paid attention". "She was instructed to fly to Georgia - she did not even know where Georgia was located geographically." He also told the court that Miss Culley was 18 weeks pregnant. Her family were ready to pay 50,000 georgian lari for bail money to get her out of prison, he said. Miss Culley had been detained for 52 days before trial while the prosecution investigated where the 12kg (26lbs) of marijuana and 2kg (4.4lbs) of hashish found in a travel bag came from, and whether she was planning on handing it over to someone else. Judge Lela Kalichenko remanded her into custody until the next court hearing scheduled for 10 July. Miss Culley's father, aunt and grandfather were all in attendance at the small courtroom in Tbilisi. Georgian Police said officers had seized marijuana and the narcotic drug hashish in a travel bag at Tbilisi International Airport. The BBC understands Miss Culley arrived in Tbilisi on a flight from Sharjah, in the United Arab Emirates, on 10 May. The BBC has been told the British Embassy has advised the teenager's family not to speak to the press. A Georgian police spokesperson said the arrest was the result of a joint operation between multiple departments and, if she was found guilty, Miss Culley could face up to 20 years in jail or life imprisonment. Follow BBC Tees onX,Facebook,NextdoorandInstagram.
British teenager accused of drug trafficking tells court she was tortured
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"British Teenager Claims Torture in Drug Trafficking Case in Georgia"
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TruthLens AI Summary
Bella Culley, a 19-year-old British student from Billingham, Teesside, has claimed she was subjected to torture to coerce her into smuggling drugs as she appeared at a pre-trial hearing in Tbilisi City Court. Culley, who is currently pregnant and has been detained since May 10 at Tbilisi International Airport, pleaded not guilty to charges of possession and trafficking illegal drugs. During the hearing, her lawyer, Malkhaz Salakaia, revealed that Culley had been threatened with a hot iron to force her compliance. She presented a scar on her wrist to the judge as evidence of her ordeal. Culley expressed her distress in court, stating, "I did not want to do this. I was forced to do this through torture," and emphasized her status as a university student who does not use drugs. Her legal team argues that she was unaware of the contents of her suitcase, which contained 12 kg of marijuana and 2 kg of hashish, and that she attempted to alert customs officers in Thailand before her flight to Georgia, but her concerns were ignored.
The context surrounding Culley's arrest is complex, with her lawyer indicating that she was misled about the nature of her travel and was instructed to go to Georgia without understanding its location. The prosecution is currently investigating the origins of the drugs and whether Culley intended to deliver them. Judge Lela Kalichenko denied her bail, despite her family offering 50,000 Georgian lari for her release, and scheduled the next court hearing for July 10. If convicted, Culley faces severe penalties, including up to 20 years in prison or life imprisonment. Her family attended the hearing, and the British Embassy has advised them against speaking to the media. The arrest followed a joint operation by Georgian police, highlighting the seriousness of the case against her.
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