Disgraced reality TV star Stephen Bear has been ordered by a court to pay his ex-girlfriend Georgia Harrison £207,900 in damages for breaching privacy by sharing intimate images of her without her consent. It is one of the highest-ever payouts in a case of its nature.
A judge called his behaviour a 'gross invasion of privacy', with Georgia's barrister calling Stephen 'completely unrepentant' and 'brazen, even in the face of his conviction'.
Georgia Harrison's revenge porn documentary, Georgia Vs Bear, aired on ITV in March and detailed her gruelling court case fighting for justice against ex-partner Stephen Bear. The disgraced reality star and sex offender was sentenced to 21 months in prison after being found guilty of revenge porn, voyeurism and two counts of disclosing private sexual photographs and films with intent to cause distress in March.
In a statement today, Judge Master Victoria McCloud said: 'This is a case where the term "revenge porn" is sometimes used, it’s a colourful term for the media. This is a gross act of violation by a man towards a woman through the medium of the internet. A more appropriate term is image-based abuse.
She added: 'Pornography is generally actually something done consensually. It was consensual sex but it certainly wasn’t consensual filming, and it was deeply violating.'
Georgia's barrister Gervase de Wilde also commented on the impact of Stephen's crimes and his attitude following his conviction. 'The defendant has been completely unrepentant, there’s no apology, and he has not offered assurances about the video and dealings with it in the future. He is completely brazen, even in the face of his conviction,' he said.
'The only activity he had undertaken is to attempt to dissipate assets, being more focused on the consequences of this claim than actually engaging with the substance.'
Is Stephen Bear in jail and which prison is he in?
Stephen Bear is currently in jail, serving out his 21 month sentence at HMP Chelmsford.
Appearing in Chelmsford Crown Court in March, Judge Christopher Morgan ruled that Georgia Harrison had suffered 'extensive humiliation and embarrassment' and that her future employment has been 'seriously affected' by Bear's actions, adding that she had 'spoken with dignity and courage and it is hoped that through taking up the cause of others will bring some closure on these matters.'
Harrison, who waived her right to anonymity to go on the record about Bears' offences, was recorded in a private sexual encounter with Bear using CCTV in his garden in August 2020, he then distributed the footage on OnlyFans – effectively selling it for money.
Harrison told the court that she did not know she was being recorded, and 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’ said prosecutor Jacqueline Carey KC. Harrison testified that she saw Bear send the footage over WhatsApp to someone, and later became aware it was circulating online.
Bear told jurors he had deleted the video in August 2020 and had not sent it to others. In court, jurors were told that Bear has earned £40,000 from OnlyFans and more than £2,000 from the video in question.
What are the revenge porn laws?
Revenge porn has been a sexual offence since 2015 and carries a sentence of up to two years’ imprisonment. According to Lawtons solicitors, ‘the law defines it as distributing private explicit images without the consent of the person depicted, which is commonly done maliciously to shame ex-partners.’
The maximum sentence for voyeurism, on conviction in the Crown court, is two years imprisonment. Bear was convicted in Chelmsford Crown Court.
The conviction, while harrowing to see what Harrison has gone through, is being celebrated online as a win for women. Watching this case play out since 2020, far too many women relate to the situation Harrison found herself in – and commend her bravery for coming forward in such a public battle, no doubt facing trolling for her decision to speak up. The footage of Harrison and Bear was widely searched for when it first leaked, Harrison taking to her Instagram to condemn users for sharing it. Going through all of this in the public eye, it’s powerful to see Harrison finally get the justice she deserves.