A British war veteran will be released and deported in lieu of a 100,000-lari fine

A British war veteran, Matthew Roy Desmond, has reached a plea agreement with Georgian prosecutors. The veteran, who participated in operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, faces deportation after paying a 100,000-lari fine. His legal team emphasized that the medications he carried—Pregabalin, Buprenorphine, and Codeine—were doctor-prescribed for pain management from a spinal injury sustained during military service.

The central issue was that although Desmond possessed legitimate prescriptions and had traveled to 25 countries without incident, his medical documentation lacked Georgian translation and notarization. Under the agreement, he will be released immediately following the court hearing on July 16 and deported by the Migration Department.

Without the plea deal, Desmond faced between 8 and 12 years imprisonment. His family, including his brother-in-law who traveled to Georgia to support him, plans to return to Britain this week.