New CCTV emerges as Thai police rubbish Bella Culley’s drug torture claims

A Thai police chief has disputed Bella May Culley’s defence that she was tortured into smuggling drugs as he presented CCTV of her ‘calmly’ walking through passport control by herself.

Bella Culley, 19, from Billingham, County Durham, faces life in Georgian prison after being arrested at Tbilisi International Airport on May 10 for allegedly smuggling a large amount of illegal drugs in her suitcase from Thailand.

Her lawyer, Mr Malkhaz Salakaia, said Bella, from Billingham, County Durham, had been threatened with a hot iron to force her into trafficking 12kg of marijuana and 2kg of hashish.

But Lieutenant General Choengron Rimpadee said that ‘there is absolutely no factual basis to her claims’ while presenting airport CCTV footage showing Bella walking through passport control at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

He added: ‘There is no evidence whatsoever that any immigration or police officers forced or threatened the suspect to smuggle drugs out of the country.’

It came after the teenager broke down in tears at Tbilisi City Court, as she pleaded not guilty to charges of possession and trafficking illegal drugs.

Bella, who is 18 weeks pregnant, showed her scarred wrist to the court, telling the judge: ‘I did not want to do this. I was forced to do this through torture.

‘I just wanted to travel. I am a good person. I am a student at university. I am a clean person. I don’t do drugs.’

Mr Salakia said the teenager was not aware of what was in her luggage and she had allegedly tried to approach a policeman for help but he was part of the criminal group too.

He said: ‘She was instructed to fly to Georgia – she did not even know where Georgia was located geographically.’

He claimed his client was told she would be met by people in Tbilisi airport but she was instead intercepted by a customs officer.

Culley was detained for 52 days while prosecutors investigated the origins of 12kg of marijuana and 2kg of hashish found in her travel bag.

Judge Lela Kalichenko has denied her bail, with the next hearing scheduled for July 10.