Bella Culley drugs trial in Georgia postponed due to issues with evidence

Bella Culley drugs trial in Georgia postponed due to issues with evidence

Tom Burgess and Jonah Fisher from BBC News reported on the trial of 19-year-old Bella Culley, a British teenager from Billingham, Teesside. Culley is currently being held in prison in Georgia on drug smuggling charges. During a brief hearing at Tbilisi City Court, Culley faced charges of possession and trafficking a large amount of marijuana and hashish. The trial was postponed due to unresolved issues relating to evidence, with the next hearing scheduled for 24 July.

Culley’s dad was present in court and encouraged his daughter to “stay strong” as she remained silent throughout the hearing. Culley, who faces the possibility of up to 20 years in jail or life imprisonment if convicted, had the charges read to her again during the proceeding. Despite her silence in court, Culley previously claimed she was “forced to do this through torture” and insisted that she is a good, clean person who does not do drugs.

The teenager had initially gone missing in Thailand before being arrested at Tbilisi International Airport with 12kg of marijuana and 2kg of hashish found in her travel bag. Culley had been detained for 61 days while the prosecution investigated the origins of the drugs and her intentions. The British Embassy has advised Culley’s family not to speak to the press, according to reports. The arrest of Culley was the result of a joint operation involving multiple departments, and if found guilty, she could face severe penalties according to Georgian police.

Overall, the trial of Bella Culley in Georgia for drug smuggling charges has been fraught with delays and uncertainty, with Culley’s family receiving guidance from the British Embassy to refrain from speaking to the media. The teenager, who faces the possibility of lengthy imprisonment if convicted, has denied the charges against her and maintained her innocence. With unresolved issues surrounding the evidence and the trial postponed, the situation remains tense as Culley awaits her next hearing

Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More