Bella Culley has finally returned to the UK, arriving at London’s Luton Airport with her mother after a harrowing five months in a Georgian prison.
The 19-year-old, heavily pregnant, was freed following her conviction for attempting to smuggle £200,000 worth of marijuana and hashish from Thailand to Georgia.
Images from Tuesday evening show Bella emerging from the arrivals section, supported by her 44-year-old mother, Lyanne Kennedy, and accompanied by two others.
Lyanne was seen wheeling the cream-colored suitcase allegedly used to transport the drugs, as airport security discreetly followed the group through the terminal.
A Surprising Court Decision
Culley, from Billingham in Teeside, had faced serious charges after her May arrest at Tbilisi airport, which involved 12kg of marijuana and 2kg of hashish.
On Monday, a Georgian court sentenced her to five months and 25 days—the exact time she had already served.
In addition, her family paid a £137,000 fine as part of a plea agreement.
Georgian prosecutors had originally considered a two-year sentence but decided to account for the time she had already spent in custody.
Culley’s mother, Lyanne, admitted she had feared she might not see her daughter again until the baby was born, making the verdict an emotional relief. “It was totally unexpected,” she said.
Emotional Reunions and Relief
Culley expressed joy and gratitude in court, hugging her mother after the sentence was read.
“I didn’t expect this at all. This is a huge surprise,” she said.
Her lawyer, Malkhaz Salakaia, confirmed she would be given her passport and be free to leave Georgia.
While the judge granted her release, he cautioned that any repeat offence would see no leniency.
Outside court, Bella’s mother subtly intervened when reporters asked about her prison experience, quietly signaling her daughter not to answer.
Nevertheless, the conditions she endured were reportedly grim, including boiling pasta in a kettle and using a hole in the floor as a toilet at the No. 5 Women’s Penitentiary near Tbilisi.
The Journey Home
After her release, Bella flew back to London on a five-and-a-half-hour flight, arriving safely at Luton Airport.
She and her mother moved quickly through check-in and security, heading straight for the Speedy Boarding gate.
The cream-colored suitcase seen at the airport matched the one used in the smuggling case.
Bella had also shared the good news with her father, Niel, in an emotional phone call.
“I’m not in jail anymore,” she told him, prompting a joyful response from her father: “Wahey! That’s brilliant. Brilliant.”
Diplomatic Efforts and Compassionate Grounds
Reports indicate that Culley’s release followed intervention by the British Embassy, which wrote to Georgian President Mikheil Kavelashvili urging him to grant a pardon.
The plea highlighted her late-stage pregnancy and the harsh reality of potentially giving birth behind bars.
The president forwarded the request to the Pardon Commission, which ultimately approved a last-minute reprieve.
Former Manchester City striker Kavelashvili, who now holds political office in Georgia, was also cited in media coverage regarding the letter and the compassionate grounds for release.
Culley’s case underscores both the international dimension of legal advocacy and the extraordinary circumstances surrounding her arrest and detention.
Looking Ahead
Bella Culley is now safely back in the UK, reunited with her family, and preparing for the birth of her child.
After months of uncertainty, the teenager’s journey highlights the human cost behind high-stakes criminal cases and the emotional toll on both detainees and their families.
While the Georgian legal system initially threatened years of imprisonment, the combination of a plea deal, diplomatic advocacy, and compassionate considerations ultimately secured her freedom.