By Maradia Tsaava In Georgia,Simon Murphy

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A plea deal which could see ‘drug mule’ Bella Culley walk free is being ‘finalised, it has emerged.

The British 19-year-old, who is about six months pregnant, is behind bars after allegedly taking drugs into Georgia earlier this year. Now a court in the former Soviet nation’s capital, Tbilisi, has heard negotiations on a plea deal are underway – with details being finalised. It comes after a hearing last month heard how a plea agreement was on the cards, meaning Bella could be released by paying an undisclosed fine. The teenager’s lawyer has said the amount paid would determine the length of sentence – with a possibility of jail time being annulled depending on how much money was handed over.

At a hearing at Tbilisi City Court on Thursday, the prosecutor said negotiations on a plea agreement were underway. Details were said to be being finalised, with the prosecution and Bella agreeing to postpone the hearing. The defence lawyer said he was in contact with Bella’s family and a decision is being made. The next hearing is due to take place on October 28.

Bella, from Billingham, Teesside, vanished in Thailand before turning up in Georgia where she was arrested at Tbilisi International Airport in May. Marijuana and hashish were allegedly found in her luggage. In July, at a hearing, Bella said: “I didn’t want to do this. I was forced by torture… All I wanted to do was to travel and this happened to me. I’m clean – I had nothing in my blood test. I wanted to make my family proud.”

Meanwhile, at a later hearing at the end of July, it was disclosed in the courtroom that Bella is having a boy. At the hearing, Bella told the judge: “I hope you understand my story through my eyes. I never thought something like this would happen to me.”