By Simon Murphy Tim Hanlon
A British teenager suspected of drug smuggling showed a Georgian court a ‘snake-like’ scar which could play a key role in her defence. A tearful Bella Culley a ppeared in court in capital Tbilisi on Tuesday with a lawyer handing her a tissue for her tears . The 19-year-old faces life behind bars if convicted of trafficking cannabis into the country but she claims that she was 鈥渇orced by torture鈥. She had gone missing in Thailand before turning up in Georgia in May, accused of taking in about 14kg of cannabis and hashish into the country. Her lawyer said there was no risk of her leaving the country, asking for bail but was denied. During the hour-long pre-trial hearing in Tbilisi, Culley, from Stockton-on-Tees, in Co Durham, showed the court a 鈥榮nake-like鈥 scar on her right arm which she claims was made on her as she was forced to take the drugs. Her defence lawyer Malkhaz Salakaia told Judge Lela Kalichenko: 鈥淭he suitcase from Thailand to Tbilisi was moved by other individuals. She was simply handed a passport and asked to take that particular flight. 鈥淭hey told her someone would meet her in Georgia. She doesn鈥檛 even know where she is. Someone was supposed to meet her, but they couldn鈥檛 because the customs officers found the cargo.鈥 And Mr Salakaia continued: 鈥淪he was only given a passport and told you go there and there. She tried to inform the passport control but was paid no attention. She even has no idea geographically where she is. She thought Tbilisi was a country.鈥 The lawyer asked Bella to show the court her arm with a scar 鈥 apparently caused by an iron in Thailand. Bella stood up, showing the court her right arm and cleared her tears before sitting down looking at her family with her dad, Niel, and aunt present. Mr Salakaia also said Bella approached a policeman to seek help but he turned out to be part of the criminal group too. Bella told the court: 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 want to do this. I was forced by torture. I just wanted to travel. I study at the university鈥 to become a nurse. “All I wanted to do was to travel and this happened to me. I鈥檓 clean – I had nothing in my blood test. I wanted to make my family proud. Thanks for listening.鈥 She left the court crying 鈥 and was told by her family: 鈥淭ry not to worry. Good girl.鈥 She is due to appear in court again on 10 July.