Pregnant teen Brit ‘drug mule’ Bella Culley reveals gender of her baby in court as she makes emotional plea for freedom

TEENAGE drug mule suspect Bella Culley announced she was expecting a baby boy today as she made an emotional court appeal for freedom.

Bella, 19, whispered the baby news to her lawyer at a hearing in Georgian capital Tbilisi where she repeated claims that she had no idea £200,000 worth of cannabis was in her baggage.

The British youngster was supported for the first time by her mother Lyanne Kennedy, who appeared visibly moved as the sex of the unborn tot was revealed.

Bella, from Billingham, Teesside, faces 20 years in jail if convicted of smuggling the huge stash from Thailand to the former Soviet state - and bringing up her child behind bars.

But she addressed a hearing directly on Thursday, insisting she had no control over her plight.

Bella said: “Gamarjoba!” - hello in Georgian - before pleading: “I hope you can understand the story from my eyes. I never thought something like this would happen to me.”

The teenager - in a grey turtleneck top with her baby bump showing - concluded the brief statement with the word “Madloba”, Georgian for 'thank you'.

Bella has claimed she was burned with a hot iron and shown a beheading video by a Thailand-based gang which forced her to fly to Tbilisi in May.

The unidentified father of her child is understood to be a British man she spent time with at the start of her disastrous back-packing trip.

She was arrested on arrival at the airport but claimed the bag was checked in by a gang member and she never saw it before Georgian police stopped her at customs.

Bella’s attempt to escape a jail term with a plea bargain deal has been complicated by the release of Thai CCTV footage.

It is said to contradict her claims that she tried to alert cops at Bangkok airport.

Her lawyer Malkhaz Salakaia told Tbilisi City Court today: “Bella has an obvious health condition - she is soon to be a mother to a baby boy and I want her to experience it while free.

“It’s a pivotal moment in one’s life, especially one so young. She is only 19.”

Mr Salakaia added: “There was no malicious intent on Bella’s part - she was pressured and forced and there is irrefutable evidence of that.

"Her testimony contains even the names and last names of the individuals who forced her to transport it, she was threatened, as well as her family, including her mother who is present today.

“I want to underline that she didn’t hand in the baggage - all she knows is that there is this luggage and she will be met by certain individuals once she arrives.

“The bag wasn't even locked, and it went through three countries and two continents, while Bella to this day is unaware whether Tbilisi is a country or a city.

“Bella didn’t commit this crime and there is no grounds to doubt her testimony. I hope you are convinced your honor and knowing your past practice.

“I am sure she won’t be found guilty."

But state prosecutor Vakhtang Tsalugelashvili argued that there was a risk Bella would flee the country if she was granted bail.

He said: “Since there are no new developments in the case, we again fall back to our previous arguments that she might attempt to escape if released on the bail and leave the country.

“There is also a risk of a repeated offence given given the large amount of drugs involved so we think that same procedures should remain in place.”

Bella’s lawyer Mr Salakaia said her parents - estranged Ms Kennedy and her oil rig worker dad Niel - were willing to stand a bail surety of £13,600.

And he spoke of his concern that conditions at Tbilisi’s grim No5 Women's Penitentiary were not good for her unborn child in the heat of summer.

Mr Salakaia said: “Pregnancy needs special treatment - basic hygiene.

“She needs water for example, which for several days was not the case in this heat.”

Bella was denied bail and ordered to remain in custody until the next hearing on September 2.

Her mum Lyanne burst into tears as the judge Giorgi Gelashvili announced she would return to jail and called out: “I love you - I’ll come tomorrow.”

Lyanne said as she left court: “I love Georgia - it’s a beautiful country, but at first we thought Bella was in Georgia in America.

“I’ve been here three times already and I’m going to visit Bella tomorrow.”