A pregnant British drug mule has been told she can walk free from prison if she pays a huge fine after she smuggled thousands of pounds worth of drugs into Georgia.
Bella Culley, 19, faced 20 years behind bars after she was caught in Tbilisi with £200,000 worth of cannabis in her luggage in May.
However, her legal team has now confirmed they are close to a deal which would see the teenager released - after her family pay a substantial sum of money.
The teenager's trial was due to start today; however, it was adjourned as Judge Giorgi Gelashvili praised the "ongoing success in negotiations".
He told her lawyer he could pick another date for the next hearing, "the very moment you reach an agreement".
Malkhaz Salakaia, defending, told journalists: "If her family is ready to pay the sum that the state is demanding, she can go straight to the airport."
The 19-year-old's mother, Lyanne Kennedy, is panicking due to the significant sum they are being asked to pay.
After the hearing at Tbilisi City Court, she said: "It's a lot of money for us.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
The teenager was caught smuggling £200,000 worth of cannabis
|FACEBOOOK
"They offered us a layered approach: this and this much to let her go immediately, and then another [lower] offer where she serves some amount."
"I don't know what to do."
The teenager can walk free immediately if they pay a large fee or serve a significantly reduced sentence for a lesser amount.
Mr Salakaia said: "Negotiations are close to completion. The higher the fine will be, the less time she will serve including a full release.
"That's what we are negotiating on at the moment. At this moment, Bella's family isn't ready to pay the amount requested.
"It all depends on Bella's parents. The prosecution is willing to let her go on the same day the demanded amount is paid.
"We are debating and negotiating on that aspect, and it's likely that this compromise will be reached before the [next hearing on] October 9."
The teenager claims she was forced to take the drugs from Thailand to Georgia, claiming she was burned with a hot iron and shown a beheading video by a Thai gang.
Lyanne Kennedy outside of Tbilisi City Court in Georgia
|GETTY
She then claims she flew to Tbilisi with 31lbs of illegal cargo hidden in her bags.
Mr Salakaia told the court: "Negotiations over a plea bargain are ongoing, and not without success.
"We've heard counter-proposals from the prosecution. We need more time regarding a plea bargain for the family to better prepare for all technicalities."
He asked for a bail on a 50,000lari (£13,750) bond, citing the teenager's pregnancy,
He said: "She will be here [in Tbilisi], her family will take care of her, and she is ready to cooperate."
The case was adjourned until the next hearing on October 9.
More From GB News