Bella May Culley's dad gives 2-word message at Brit teen's drug smuggling hearing

Bella May Culley's dad has given a two-word message of support to his pregnant daughter as she appeared in court today over drug smuggling charges.

Culley, 19, from Billingham, Teesside,appeared at Georgia's Tbilisi City Court for a brief hearing after she previously denied charges of possession and smuggling large amounts of marijuana and hashish into the country. The trial began at the court where it was heard there were issues relating to evidence that might have to be resolved.

She remained silentas the charges were read out. Her dad, who was also in court, told his daughter to "stay strong."

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Culley faces upwards of 20 years behind bars or even life imprisonment should she be convicted. The upcoming hearing is slated for July 24.

Mr Malkhaz Salakaia, who represented Culley, said there was a possibility both sides could come to an agreement to close the case on July 24, according to the BBC. Culley was first reported missing in Thailand before she was located and arrested in Tbilisi International Airport on May 10.

She has been held in prison for 61 days as the prosecution investigation where the 26lbs of marijuana and 4.4lbs of hashish came from. They are also investigating whether she intended to hand it over to someone else.

Culley previously claimed she was "forced to do this through torture." She added: "I just want to travel. I am a good person. I am a student at university. I am a clean person. I don't do drugs."

Mr Salakaia said his client was tortured with a hot iron being placed on her right arm by a criminal group that gave her the drugs. She approached a policeman to seek help but he turned out to be affiliated with the gang, the lawyer told the court.

Culley claimed she attempted to seek help from Thai customs staff and that the drugs had been put into a bag and stored in the hold of a plane on her behalf. Thai authorities have slammed Culley's claims and they said CCTV images from the airport showed her passing calmly through airport checks without flagging down anyone for help or showing any unusual behaviour.

Lieutenant General Choengron Rimpadee said "there is absolutely no factual basis to her claims" while presenting airport CCTV footage showing Culley walking normally through passport control at the Thai airport.

It is understood that Culley arrived in Tbilisi on a flight from Sharjah, located in the United Arab Emirates. A Georgian police spokesperson said she was arrested as part of a joint operation between several departments.