Overview

• Defence and prosecutors are negotiating terms that would allow Bella Culley to leave custody in exchange for a substantial payment, with her lawyer saying she could go straight to the airport once the sum is paid.
• Judge Giorgi Gelashvili denied bail and adjourned the case to October 9, saying the court will bring it forward immediately if an agreement is reached.
• Culley’s family described the requested amount as a figure with “many zeros” and said they were offered options ranging from immediate release for a higher sum to a reduced sentence for less.
• The 19-year-old is 22 weeks pregnant and remains detained after her trial start was delayed to accommodate the plea discussions.
• Culley was arrested at Tbilisi International Airport in May with an alleged haul of roughly 12–14kg of cannabis and additional hashish, faces up to 20 years or possibly life in prison if convicted, and claims she was coerced in Thailand—an assertion disputed by Thai officials citing CCTV.