A British teenager has been brought before a court after disappearing in Thailand and later turning up in Georgia where she was arrested on drug-related charges.
Earlier this week, Bella May Culley was reported missing while traveling in Thailand, prompting her family to issue an appeal on Tuesday, May 13.
She began her travels in the Philippines on April 28, explored several islands, and arrived in Thailand by May 3.
Subsequently, it was revealed that Culley, who recently completed a course at Middlesbrough College with aspirations of becoming a nurse, was detained at Tbilisi International Airport, Georgia, on May 10.
The 18-year-old was found with “34 hermetically sealed packages containing marijuana … as well as 20 packages of hashish,” according to reports from local media.
The Georgian interior ministry released a statement saying: “B.K, born in 2006, is charged with illegally purchasing and storing a particularly large amount of narcotics, illegally purchasing and storing the narcotic drug marijuana, and illegally importing it into Georgia. The committed crime envisions up to 20 years – or life imprisonment.”
A pre-trial hearing was held on May 13 at Tbilisi city court where Culley reportedly disclosed an important update about her condition.
The teenager reportedly informed the court that she is pregnant, as covered by the BBC.
It has been mentioned that she will undergo a medical examination to verify her statement.
The prosecutor has requested 55 days to gather evidence, with an understanding that this timeframe might be extended by seven more months.
“They [police] said that they had to conduct a lot of investigative activities, so that they can collect evidence, establish where it was from [the narcotics] and was she planning to hand it over to someone,” stated Culley’s lawyer, Ia Todua.
“That’s what they said they want to establish, and they also confiscated her phone,” she added.
It is reported that Culley’s father is en route to Tbilisi.
During the court hearings, Culley is said to have maintained her silence while her lawyer argued for her release on bail.
The lawyer stated: “My client is currently exercising the right to remain silent, so we will provide detailed information later, once they decide how to proceed.
“A formal request must be submitted to the relevant authority, and then more detailed information regarding my client can be provided.
“At this stage, [she is] invoking [her] right to silence, and further developments will be shared later once a decision is made.”
A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in the UK commented: “We are supporting the family of a British woman who is detained in Georgia and are in contact with the local authorities.”