Bella Culley: Pregnant 'drug mule' on verge of deal which could set her free

Pregnant teen ‘drug mule’ Bella Culley is on the verge of striking a plea deal in Georgia – which could see her walk free from prison.

The 19-year-old is facing life behind bars in Georgia after allegedly taking illegal drugs into the country. At the teenager’s latest hearing in the country’s capital, Tbilisi, a court heard how a plea agreement is on the cards. The deal could even mean Bella, who claims to have been forced by torture, could be released from prison by paying a fine. It also emerged that Bella, who wore black in court and sported a new hairstyle, is 22 weeks pregnant.

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The judge denied bail with the next hearing set for October 9. Bella’s mum, who was at the hearing, told her daughter she loved her.

Bella, from Billingham, Teesside, vanished in Thailand before turning up in Georgia where she was arrested at Tbilisi International Airport in May. Marijuana and hashish were allegedly found in her luggage. In July at a hearing, Bella said: "I didn’t want to do this. I was forced by torture... All I wanted to do was to travel and this happened to me. I’m clean - I had nothing in my blood test. I wanted to make my family proud."

Meanwhile, at a later hearing at the end of July, it was disclosed in the courtroom that Bella is having a boy. At the hearing, Bella told the judge: “I hope you understand my story through my eyes. I never thought something like this would happen to me.”