Bella culley's dad visits 'drug smuggler' daughter in prison for first time

British drug smuggling suspect Bella Culley has had an emotional reunion with her father behind bars in Georgia. The 18 year old, who went missing in Thailand before being detained in

Georgia on allegations of cannabis importation, is at risk of a life sentence. Her father Niel has recently been seen at the prison thought to be their first encounter since Bella's

arrest. The teenager, from Billingham and who has told the court she is pregnant, is incarcerated at Women's Prison No. 5 in Rustavi, roughly 45 minutes south of Georgia's capital

Tbilisi. Bella's new solicitor has described her as "not far from childhood" and asserts that she is prepared to defend herself. Niel, aged 49, was observed entering the

penitentiary by himself on Wednesday morning carrying a medium-sized dark blue bag. Notably, around 45 minutes later he was spotted without the bag, indicating that he might have delivered

supplies to his daughter, reports the Mirror. Earlier in the week, a solicitor who said she visited Bella disclosed that the young woman had asked for fruit and warmer clothes. This

development follows reports last week of Niel's distressing wait to see his daughter. Bella had to write to the prison officials to request a family visit. The young woman, apprehended

at Tbilisi International Airport on May 11, is accused of carrying about 12kg of cannabis and around 2kg of hashish into Georgia. If found guilty, she faces a lengthy prison spell - in the

worst-case scenario life imprisonment. The teenager is said to have had her first meeting with the new family-appointed lawyer. The lawyer, Malkhaz Salakaia, reportedly said he had to

explain to Bella where she was geographically. Mr Salakaia said Bella was in "good health" – but would not describe her as an adequate adult, the BBC reports. Their first meeting

was said to have lasted two hours. The lawyer said his client was ready to defend herself in court, the BBC reported. Mr Salakaia said Bella does not have any complaints about the location

of detention. Asked whether he would describe Bella as an adequate adult, he answered "no". His impression was that she was "not far from childhood". During the meeting,

Bella was reportedly also giving evidence to investigators. On Monday, celebrity lawyer Mariam Kublashvili described the British teenager as “very open” and “charming”. The lawyer, who

offered her services to Bella for free but is not representing her, said: “She is pregnant and needs medical care which she complained she wasn’t getting – there were no tests / checks or

medical examinations done, she told me. She said she asked for a doctor, but the doctor wasn’t speaking English and they couldn’t understand each other." The lawyer, who appeared on

Georgia’s version of Strictly, once represented speedboat killer Jack Shepherd. Kublashvili, 39, also said of Bella: “Initial impression was very positive - she is very open, very pleasant,

charming. She doesn’t fit a profile of [a] drug trafficker at all. For anyone with any experience in dealing with such legal cases, it would be quite obvious that she is a victim here,

[that] she’s been used and manipulated. I have a 20-year-old child myself and can only imagine what her parents must be feeling.” She added: "[She] Asked me if a jumper and warmer

clothes (size M) could be sent to her… She wants fruits as well – doesn’t like what she is fed in the prison at all… Said she would very much like to go home.” Bella is next due in court on

July 1.