Stephen Bear has been sentenced to 21 months in prison in Georgia Harrison trial

He was found guilty in October 2022

1 year ago

Stephen Bear has been sentenced to 21 months in prison. Judge Christopher Morgan said prison was the “only appropriate” punishment for his actions. The judge said, now as a sex offender, Bear will be subject to notification requirements for 10 years.

He was found guilty of voyeurism and two counts of disclosing private sexual photographs and films of former Love Island star Georgia Harrison in December 2022.

During the sentencing, Judge Christopher Morgan said Stephen Bear “deliberately lied” when he told Georgia he had deleted the video because he wanted to “exploit the economic value” of the video. He also said Georgia Harrison suffered from “extensive humiliation and embarrassment”.

Georgia attended the sentencing with her mother and Stephen Bear’s parents also attended the hearing. The families arrived before Bear himself. When Bear arrived at Chelmsford Crown Court, he claimed he didn’t have a fair trial outside the court, according to Essex Live. Bear refused to answer questions from the media or apologise.

Judge Christopher Morgan was asked by Jacqueline Carey KC to send Bear to prison and that a sentence should not be suspended. She said Georgia has suffered emotionally and financially as a result of the video being uploaded online.

In August 2020, Stephen Bear and Georgia Harrison were caught having sex on his CCTV camera and he uploaded the footage to his OnlyFans account and shared it on WhatsApp in November 2020. All this was done without Georgia Harrison’s consent. Bear attended the trial often showing up in over the top outfits, a rented Rolls Royce, a cane and cigar.

via SWNS

He was previously set to be sentenced in January 2023 but it was delayed due to allow for a psychiatric reports. Defence barrister Gemma Rose said Bear needed the assessment to be “formally diagnosed” and said it would be “beneficial” to the court. During the sentencing, Bear’s barrister said: “The behaviour in my submission can be contextualised in various reports you [the judge] have reads. He has issues with delusions of grandeur and distorted thinking.

“He has periods where he is detached from reality and finds it easier to deal with delusions in his head rather than face the reality he is in.” She said Bear “accepts” the verdict but still maintains his innocence but is willing to “work in the community”.

Georgia Harrison read out her victim impact statement at the sentencing and said after the video was shared, she suffered from panic attacks. She said: “It’s my worst nightmare that any photo that should have been kept private would go public. When Stephen Bear filmed me without telling me, it affected how I trust people. When I first saw the screenshot I felt physically sick.”

When Bear was found guilty, Georgia said: “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.”