Thread: British teenager who vanished in Thailand is found in Georgia, arrested.

Anyone that rides a motorbike dressed like that deserves a long prison sentence, stupid bitch.
Yes she may have been posing for a photo but anyone importing that amount of weed into a country without declaring at customs to pay the excess tax is even more of a stupid bitch.

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

Yes, considering she's 18 and was on her second country.

you obviously dont know very much about todays teens in the uk. so read on harry. lots of photos too

Bella May Culley LIVE: Teen could raise baby in Georgia prison until it is three - World News - Mirror Online

posting on her social media about drugs, money and fucking.

bound to be a go fund me page soon. begging for money to free the daughter.

bang her up i say. shes a bad'un.

Bella May Culley LIVE: Teen could raise baby in Georgia prison until it is three
Bella May Culley, 18, could be forced to raise a baby in a Georgian prison after claiming she is pregnant - the alleged Brit drug trafficker is facing life behind bars


Pregnant Bella 'would be transferred to hospital and back' to prison says lawyer

Bella May Culley faces life in sewage-filled cell where three inmates share one bed

Bella May Culley 'visibly shaken' after told severity of ‘crime’

What we know about brutal prison Bella May Culley may be sent in Georgia

Bella May is accused of trying to smuggle 30 pounds of cannabis into Georgia

ByBradley Jolly

Updated08:19, 17 May 2025

Brit teenager Bella May Culley could raise a baby in a Georgian prison, it has emerged tonight. The nursing student could also spend nine months behind bars as authorities investigate whether she smuggled drugs into the country.

The 18-year-old from Billingham, Teesside, was apprehended when her luggage was allegedly found to contain dozens of bags of cannabis and hashish. Prosecutors have asked for 55 days to find evidence to build a case against her, although this could be extended by up to seven months. She stunned the courtroom in the Georgian capital Tbilisi when she claimed to be pregnant.

Should Culley be found guilty, she could face a life sentence. Her family raced to Georgia following her detainment after she was reported missing from Thailand.

Follow our live blog for all the latest updates below...

08:19
Lawyer speaks out
Bella Culley's lawyer la Todua said their client has "the right" to demand a visit from her family.

"She has the right to demand this short-term visit from her family, through the decision of the prosecution," said Ms Todua according to the BBC. "She's not cut off from outside contact. She is allowed small meetings."
Ms Todua was appointed by the state to represent the British teen.

07:31
Potential visit from father
Bella Culley faces a four-day wait to find out if she can see her father.

Bella's father Niel lives in Vietnam but retains a property in Billingham, Co Durham. He could see his daughter for up to an hour, according to her lawyer.

06:56
Bella May Culley 'trapped in isolation' with grim prison fate resting on three things
James Pipe, a legal expert at Felons Assistance, warns that conditions in these prisons can cause foreign nationals to become isolated due to "language barriers", adding: "This can have a serious impact on their mental health and ability to build a legal defence."

He explains: "Ultimately, what's in store for her hinges on three key factors: the progress of the foreign trial, diplomatic pressure from the UK government, and any formal legal agreements between the two countries." He adds: "Until then, she’s likely to remain detained under that country’s rules, in their system, and that could mean facing a very different standard of justice and care than we’re used to here in Britain."

05:12
Three unanswered questions in Bella May Culley case
- Is Bella May Culley really pregnant?

Culley reportedly claimed she was pregnant in Tbilisi on Tuesday. Georgian officials will now carry out a medical examination to assess the veracity of her claims.

- Who is 'Clyde' mentioned on her social media?

The Brit student boasted of a "Bonnie and Clyde" lifestyle on her TikTok profile.
Bonnie and Clyde were an infamous crime couple who became known for their bank robberies and crime spree in 1930s America.

- How did Bella May Culley get 'sucked in'?

It is not clear how Culley ended up in the situation she finds herself in. Her family have rubbished any notion that she is a drug trafficker.

04:44
Six clues Bella May Culley left before going missing
- 'Bonnie and Clyde' references

Bella likened herself to Bonnie from the infamous criminal duo Bonnie and Clyde, posting about engaging in "criminal activities side by side" and "making heavy figures."

- Displaying large sums of cash

In other TikTok videos, Bella showcased stacks of £10 and £20 notes, bound together with a hairband. Those who viewed the videos questioned where the stash had come from.

- Smoking cannabis on camera

Bella was also seen smoking what appeared to be cannabis while riding in the back of a car.

- Association with a man named 'Russ'

Bella mentioned meeting a man named "Russ" or "Ross" during her travels in the Philippines. This individual remains unidentified, but authorities are investigating his potential connection to Bella's subsequent activities


While traveling in Thailand, Bella ceased communication with her family, prompting them to report her missing on Saturday. Her unexpected silence raised concerns about her wellbeing initially.

- Social media posts

Bella's TikTok content included references to drug culture and dealing, with captions and imagery that suggested involvement in illicit activities.


23:29
Inside 'degrading' women's prison where Bella could be held
If Bella May Culley is handed a lengthy prison sentence, she can expect to be housed in Tbilisi's infamous Women's Prison Number 5 - a Soviet-era detention facility known for its 'degrading' treatment of inmates.

Prisoners are crammed into single bunk beds with multiple women to a single cell, and the building is said to be in a state of considerably decay.

One inspection procedure even sees inmates forced to squat in front of guards, something can be particularly distressing when they are menstruating

In 2018, a report from Penal Reform International Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Officer said of the facility: "The prison comprises a series of cell blocks and training facilities as well as an administrative building, all within tarmacked grounds where women hang up washing or use the public telephones.

"Each cell block has its own training room, where women can participate in courses such as traditional Georgian felt making, beauty therapy and hairdressing.

"There is also a sewing enterprise run by Women in Business, where around 50 women are employed under a contract with the Ministry of Corrections to make mattresses for men's prisons.

"The women can earn a wage, which they can either send to their families outside or spend on themselves in prison."


Bella could be sent to Tbilisi's Women's Prison No.5
22:54
Mystery over why Bella suddenly disappeared in Thailand sparking search
While traveling in Thailand, Bella ceased communication with her family, prompting them to report her missing on Saturday.

Her unexpected silence raised concerns about her wellbeing initially.

Bella’s father Niel - who lives in Vietnam but searched for her in Thailand after she vanished - has flown to Tbilisi and his attempts to see her in jail were blocked by red tape on Wednesday.

He had hoped for an emotional heart-to-heart at the grim No5 Women’s Penitentiary on the outskirts of the city but was told essential paperwork had not been signed.

Mr Culley, 49, arrived in Georgian capital Tbilisi seeking answers as family members told how he was suffering "every parent’s worst nightmare." He was being supported by his sister, Kellie Culley while Bella’s mum Lyanne Kennedy - who is estranged from Niel - awaited news in the UK.


19:48Tim Hanlon
Mystery continues to surround a man 'she went to see in Philippines'
Bella mentioned meeting a man named "Russ" or "Ross" during her travels in the Philippines.

This individual remains unidentified, but authorities are investigating his potential connection to Bella's subsequent activities.

The backpacker’s social media went on to show her clearly in the company of a male stranger - but he was never clearly pictured or named.

Her grandad William Culley, 80, revealed that she appears to have spent most of March in Thailand but also spent time in the Philippines with a man called "Ross or Russ", adding: "She's got sucked into something, somehow."

He said: "She went to the Philippines to see somebody, a lad there, who she used to go out with a couple of years ago, who was working out there.

"She said, 'I'm going on my own, but I'm meeting Ross out there. Or Russ, I'm not sure what his name is. He was working out there for his father's company or something. But now I wonder if what she told me was true."


TikTok video displaying large sums of cash
Bella showcased stacks of £10 and £20 notes, bound together with a hairband, in a TikTok video. Those who viewed the clips questioned where the stash had come from.

Georgian police claim she was caught with 34 bags of weed, totalling around 14 kilos of the banned substance. In a video displaying the cash, she captioned the video, "But nothing hurts when I'm with you," alongside money bag emojis.

Bella was also seen smoking what appeared to be cannabis while riding in the back of a car. She appeared in court on Wednesday after being detained at the city’s airport on suspicion of hiding 34 bags of cannabis in her luggage.

Airport staff had stopped her on the way in and allegedly found the cannabis in her luggage. The aspiring nurse could face 20 years in an overcrowded former Soviet prison or even a life sentence, the country's Interior Ministry said.

Taking the stand on Wednesday, she told the court she was pregnant before adding she would reserve the right to remain silent. She is said to be "confused and terrified".



17:03
Bella May's dad 'surprised' to find out his daughter was pregnant
Bella May’s dad Niel said he was "surprised" to find out his daughter was pregnant and found out on Wednesday night.

He and and her aunt Kerrie are now in Georgia and held a meeting with a lawyer at an office in Tbilisi today to discuss the alleged drug offences.

"I only found out when my daughter told me last night," he said about his daughter being pregnant. Bella's father Niel lives in Vietnam but retains a property in Billingham, Co Durham.

And it is understood that Mr Culley has now asked his father to market the house to raise money towards legal help for his daughter, who recently started doing bank shifts as a nurse.

15:56Tim Hanlon
'Bonnie and Clyde' references by Bella before she was arrested
Bella likened herself to Bonnie from the infamous criminal duo Bonnie and Clyde, posting about engaging in "criminal activities side by side" and "making heavy figures."

In one video, she posted a clip of herself alongside the caption: "Blonde or brunette? Erm how about we get up to criminal activities side by side like Bonnie n Clyde making heavy figures and f****** on balconies all over the world."

Another video is captioned: "Don’t care if we on the run baby as long as I’m next to u."

But Bella’s male companion’s face never appears in the posts and he is never tagged. Family members have claimed she met a group of young men from the north west of England in Thailand before she was reported missing on Saturday.

15:15Tim Hanlon
Did Bella get 'sucked' into illegal activity?
It is not clear how Bella ended up in the situation she finds herself in with drugs allegedly discovered in her bag when she entered Georgia.

Her family have rubbished any notion that she is a drug trafficker.

"She’s got sucked into something, somehow," her granddad William Culley said. "She’s not an international drug trafficker. Can she even tell them who's given her the drugs to take over?

"I bet she doesn't. These people keep out of the way. It’s all just very strange and at the moment we just don’t have any answers. We don’t know what to think."

After being told Culley had been detained in Georgia, William added: "I said, ‘in jail? what's she doing in jail? And then she said, ‘drugs’. I couldn’t believe it. Who the hell has she been with?

"She was on holiday with some friends, doing what 18-year-olds do - drinking and dancing. They must have met somebody who's taken advantage of her."
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14:39Anders Anglesey
Family's warning about fake fundraisers
The family of Bella May Culley warned people could take advantage of the teen's situation by setting up fake fundraisers.

Her cousin Claire Taylorson wrote on Facebook: "Please be aware that a GoFundMe has been set up.

"Bella’s family do not want any campaigns such as Go Fund Me, and have certainly not asked for any financial help in this form.

“Please respect the family and the difficulties that they are facing."

13:57Anders Anglesey
How will authorities determine if Bella May Culley is pregnant?
Bella May Culley stunned the courtroom in Tbilisi, Georgia, when she announced she was pregnant.

Georgian officials will now carry out a medical examination to determine the veracity of her claim.

Her dad Niel said he was "surprised" to hear the admission and admitted he was unaware that she had been pregnant.

13:35Anders Anglesey
What inmates have said about infamous Prison No 5
Prisoners living behind bars in Georgia's infamous Prison No 5 shared their experience of their time there.

One inmate, who was detained at the jail for several weeks described his cell as "a wild place" where they took turns to sleep and where, in some cases, three people slept together in a bed.

Another said: "It is so crowded here, I could go crazy."

The accounts were heard in a previous report that described the jail as having "crumbling" walls and floors.

13:11Anders Anglesey
Georgian interior ministry statement in full
Georgia's interior ministry said Bella May Culley's could face life in prison in a statement shared following her arrest

The statement read: "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."

shes a right mucky little minx.