Ex On The Beach and Celebrity Big Brother UK contestant Stephen Bear has been given a 21-month prison sentence for 'revenge porn' in a landmark case for Britain.
In August 2020, 33-year-old Bear shared a three-minute video of him having consensual sex with Love Island star Georgia Harrison to content sharing site OnlyFans.
Ms Harrison was informed by Bear about the CCTV footage and told Bear that she did not give him permission to share the content.
In early December 2020, four months after the incident, the victim discovered the video was on Bear's OnlyFans account and subscribers had to pay a further $9.99 to view it. Of his 1,061 subscribers, 273 people did so, and it is estimated he made $2,181.82.
In December 2022, Bear was found guilty of voyeurism relating to the CCTV footage, disclosing a private sexual film in relation to it being shared on WhatsApp and disclosing a private sexual film in relation to it being shared on OnlyFans.
In sentencing on Friday, Bear was also ordered to sign the sex offender register and given a restraining order not to contact Ms Harrison for five years.
Speaking outside of court following the sentencing, Ms Harrison said she was "happy and relieved that this matter is finally over".
"Today's sentence is a vindication of what I've been put through and sends a clear message that the police and the courts take this matter very seriously," she said.
"I hope that this puts anyone off committing this sort of crime and I hope for anyone else who has been a victim of it [that] it gives them some sort of justice."
The act of disclosing private sexual photographs and films with intent to cause distress — referred to as 'revenge porn' — has been illegal in England and Wales since 2015.
"I want to commend Georgia Harrison for the bravery and determination she has shown throughout this case," said Hannah von Dadelszen, deputy chief crown prosecutor for CPS East of England.
"By contrast, Stephen Bear showed a complete lack of remorse by never accepting responsibility for his abusive behaviour, even going so far as to place the blame on Ms Harrison.
"Although she lives a public life, Georgia Harrison has the right to privacy. But that was taken away by Bear to make money in the most egregious way."
Bear 'gaslit' victim prior to conviction
Around the time the video was being reported to the police and being taken off OnlyFans, Bear shared a video on Instagram that suggested the woman in the video was not Ms Harrison.
Later, when being questioned by detectives, Bear accused the victim of knowing about the video and sharing it with her friends, before offering no comment.
Bear claimed his Instagram, Twitter and emails had been hacked but offered no comment when asked if that included his OnlyFans.
He also answered no comment when asked whether he had edited and uploaded the video to OnlyFans.
"Stephen Bear exploited his relationship for his own gratification by sharing a private video without the victim's consent," said Andrew Young, senior crown prosecutor from CPS East of England.
"Bear understood his actions were wrong and showed an utter disregard for the victim, going on to gaslight and mock her."
Australia ramps up 'revenge porn' laws
On January 23, 2022, revisions to Australia's Online Safety act meant that persons found to be sharing intimate images without consent could face penalties up to $110,000 and two years' imprisonment.
The revisions also meant the time frame allowed for online platforms to remove image-based abuse material was reduced from 48 to 24 hours.
At the time, eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said eSafety hopes to do more to protect Australians with these expanded powers.
"eSafety investigators handled 2,687 complaints about intimate images and videos that had been shared without consent in the last financial year alone. We also have an 85 per cent success rate in removing intimate images and videos," Ms Grant said.
"The new changes mean victims of image-based [material] can be further assured that both perpetrators and platforms will face severe consequences."
