Stephen Bear has been sentenced to 21 months in prison
Anish Vij
Featured Image Credit: @e_whitehouse293/Twitter/PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo
Reality TV star Stephen Bear has been sentenced to 21 months in prison on 'revenge porn' charges against former Love Island star Georgia Harrison.
Bear, 33, shared a private video of him having sex with his ex-girlfriend Harrison, 28, on his OnlyFans account.
The pair were filmed having consensual sex on CCTV cameras in Bear’s garden on 2 August 2020.
However, Harrison did not know they were being recorded, Jacqueline Carey KC, prosecuting, told an earlier trial at Chelmsford Crown Court.
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She said that when Bear showed her the footage she told him 'never to send' it to anyone and 'made it plain how upset she would be if he did', the prosecutor said.
The complainant said that she saw Bear send the footage to someone on WhatsApp that same day, and later that year she was made aware that it was circulating online.
Carey said that Bear uploaded the footage 'either himself or had it uploaded to OnlyFans and profited financially'.
Bear denied all charges and claimed at trial that he deleted the footage that day and had shared it with no-one.
When Bear appeared at court today for sentencing he could be seen singing to a reporter when she asked him about the case.
Stephen Bear has arrived, refusing to answer media questions or apologise for his actions. He took selfies and sang to one reporter.
— Ellis Whitehouse (@E_Whitehouse293) March 3, 2023
He continues to claim he didn’t get a fair trial. pic.twitter.com/gtodsERfaK
The reality star was found guilty at Chelmsford Crown Court of voyeurism and of two counts of disclosing private sexual photographs and films with intent to cause distress.
In a statement, Harrison said: "We are living in a time where so much of our lives and our children’s lives are spent online and it is so important that individuals are protected in the virtual world just as they are in reality.
"Social media has given us the egalitarian belief that we are all publishers but what it hasn’t done is regulate what we should responsibly publish.
"I hope me taking a stand gives other men and women who have fallen victim to revenge porn the courage to seek justice and most importantly show them that they have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of.
"I have felt ashamed, hurt, violated, even broken at times but today I stand here feeling empowered, grateful and a huge sense of unity with all of those who have reached out to support me throughout this ordeal."
Addressing the court after his guilty verdict, Bear said: "My barrister said not to but it's nothing bad.
"In my opinion from the beginning it was never a fair trial, what the press were saying about me I was always fighting a losing battle, and it is what it is."
In response to his comments, the judge said: "Thank you for that observation."
Judge Christopher Morgan ruled at Chelmsford Crown Court on Friday (3 March) that ... .... ...