Bella Culley freed from Georgian prison

Pregnant teenager Bella Culley, who had been facing drug trafficking charges in Georgia, has said she felt “happy and relieved” as she was freed from prison.

The 19-year-old from Billingham, Teesside, had initially faced a possible 20 years in jail, but prosecutors made a last-minute change to the terms of a plea bargain.

As she learned of the news in court in Tbilisi, Miss Culley gave her lawyer Malkhaz Salakaia a big hug.

The teenager was detained on 10 May having being arrested at Tbilisi International Airport when 12kg (26lb) of marijuana and 2kg (4.4lb) of hashish were found in her luggage.

Mr Salakaia said prosecutors made the changes to the plea deal and, given her age and pregnancy, decided to free her.

Miss Culley will be given her passport and be free to leave the country on Monday.

Walking arm-in-arm with her mother Lyanne Kennedy outside court, Miss Culley, who is eight months pregnant, told reporters she did not expect to be freed today.

Prior to that, when she was told she would be freed the teenager broke into a huge smile.

She then hugged her lawyer before the court proceedings went ahead with the judge asking procedural questions, including whether or not Bella Culley pleaded guilty to the charge of trafficking drugs into Georgia.

She answered “yes”.

Throughout the hearing she kept looking at her mother and exchanging smiles, until she was let free from the court and the pair, both crying with happiness, embraced.

Lawyers representing the teenager have been locked in negotiations with judicial authorities in Georgia, with details expected to be released later.

Her family previously paid £137,000 to reduce her sentence to two years.