Bella Culley, a 19-year-old pregnant teenager, is reportedly close to reaching a plea deal in Georgia that could lead to her release from prison. Facing the possibility of life imprisonment for allegedly smuggling illegal drugs into the country, Bella appeared in court in Tbilisi, where discussions about a potential plea agreement took place.

The proposed deal may allow Bella, who claims she was coerced through torture, to avoid a lengthy prison sentence by paying a fine. During the hearing, it was noted that she is currently 22 weeks pregnant. Bella, who wore black clothing and had a new hairstyle, was denied bail, with her next court appearance scheduled for October 9.

Her mother attended the hearing, expressing her love and support for her daughter. Bella, originally from Billingham, Teesside, was arrested at Tbilisi International Airport in May after marijuana and hashish were allegedly discovered in her luggage. She had previously vanished in Thailand before resurfacing in Georgia.

In a previous court session in July, Bella stated, "I didn’t want to do this. I was forced by torture... All I wanted to do was to travel and this happened to me. I’m clean - I had nothing in my blood test. I wanted to make my family proud."

At a later hearing, it was revealed that Bella is expecting a boy. She expressed her hope to the judge, saying, "I hope you understand my story through my eyes. I never thought something like this would happen to me." The case continues to unfold as Bella awaits her next hearing.