Bella Culley asks court to ‘see story through my eyes’

A British teenager informed the trial of drug smuggling in Georgia the court docket that she hopes to have the ability to “see my story via my eyes.”

Bella Cole, 19, appeared from Bellingham, Tised, on the Tbilisi Metropolis Courtroom and mentioned: “I by no means thought that one thing like this might occur to me.”

Miss Cole could withstand 20 years in jail or life imprisonment if convicted.

Throughout the court docket session, which lasted solely half-hour, she exchanged common seems to be and smiling along with her mom, Lian Kennedy.

Adolescence is pregnant and bypassing medical checks in current days, as her mom has turn into emotional in court docket after studying the gender of her grandfather, who has not but been born.

The general public prosecutor repeated the fees towards Miss Cole.

When studying a chunk of paper, he detailed the quantity of unlawful medication in its bag.

Then the lawyer of Miss Cole was given the bottom.

He mentioned there isn’t a proof that she had any intention to interrupt the legislation.

“There have been individuals who pressured my shopper to commit this with out information,” he mentioned.

Miss Cole concluded by saying “Madloba”, which suggests “Thanks” in Georgian.

The following court docket session is scheduled to be held in September, except a name deal is reached earlier than.

“I’ll come and see you tomorrow, I really like you,” mentioned Ms. Kennedy, who was clearly upset with the session that was postponed for a number of weeks.

Her daughter will stay in jail till then.

Miss Kully initially disappeared in Thailand earlier than her arrest at Tbilisi Worldwide Airport on Could 10.

It was held for 61 days earlier than the listening to throughout the investigation prosecution, because it got here 12 kilograms (26 rugs) of marijuana and a pair of kg (4.4 kilos) of cannabis, which was present in a journey bag, and whether or not she was planning to ship it to a different particular person.

Miss Cole had beforehand claimed that she “pressured to do that via torture.”

“I simply needed to journey,” she mentioned. “I’m a very good particular person. I’m a college pupil. I’m a clear particular person. I’m not coping with medication.”

The Georgian police mentioned that the officers seized the drug marijuana and cannabis in a journey bag at Tbilisi Worldwide Airport.

It’s understood that Miss Cole arrived in Tbilisi on a visit from Sharjah, within the United Arab Emirates, on Could 10.

BBC was informed that the British embassy suggested {the teenager}’s household to not communicate to the press.