Rayhan Demytrie,Caucasus correspondent in Georgia and

Pamela Tickell,North East and Cumbria

Reuters

Bella Culley told reporters she had not expected to be freed so soon

Pregnant teenager Bella Culley, who had been facing drug trafficking charges in Georgia, has said she felt “happy and relieved” as she was freed from prison.

The 19-year-old from Billingham, Teesside, had initially faced a possible 20 years in jail, but prosecutors made a last-minute change to the terms of a plea bargain.

As she learned of the news in court in Tbilisi, Miss Culley gave her lawyer Malkhaz Salakaia a big hug.

The teenager was detained on 10 May having being arrested at Tbilisi International Airport when 12kg (26lb) of marijuana and 2kg (4.4lb) of hashish were found in her luggage.

Mr Salakaia said prosecutors made the changes to the plea deal and, given her age and pregnancy, decided to free her.

Miss Culley will be given her passport and be free to leave the country on Monday.

Walking arm-in-arm with her mother Lyanne Kennedy outside court, Miss Culley, who is eight months pregnant, told reporters she did not expect to be freed today.

Watch: Bella Culley says she is happy and relieved to have been freed

Lawyers representing the teenager have been locked in negotiations with judicial authorities in Georgia, with details expected to be released later.

Her family previously paid £137,000 to reduce her sentence to two years.

Reuters

Miss Culley, who is eight months pregnant, left court with her mother Lyanne Kennedy