London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Oct 25, 2026

Stephen Bear: Revenge porn prison sentence 'sends clear message'

Stephen Bear: Revenge porn prison sentence 'sends clear message'

It's been nearly three years since Georgia Harrison was filmed without her permission having sex.

The perpetrator, fellow reality TV personality Stephen Bear, was sentenced to 21 months in prison on Friday after being found guilty of voyeurism and sharing private sexual videos without consent.

Stephen Bear arriving for sentencing at Chelmsford Crown Court


A former police officer who helped bring the case to trial says Bear's prison sentence "sends a clear message".

Michelle Roycroft, who now works with victims of sexual abuse, harassment and stalking, was contacted by Ms Harrison when she first realised Bear had put a video of them having sex on subscription site OnlyFans and profited from it.

"Georgia wanted to make sure that everybody understood that this was an offence that wasn't OK and that she could stand up to him," Ms Roycroft tells the BBC.

"I wanted to encourage her because she has a platform and she's an amazing young woman," she adds.

Ms Harrison had the right to remain anonymous but chose to speak out, in the hope it would encourage other victims of so-called revenge porn to come forward.

Speaking outside court on Friday, 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.

Shortly after Bear was convicted, Ms Harrison told the BBC that knowing videos of her were being circulated online made her "feel completely worthless".

"People are looking at you and having sexual gratification over you and it's completely out of your control," she added.

Due to Bear and Ms Harrison's profiles as former contestants on shows such as Love Island and Celebrity Big Brother, this has become one of the most high-profile cases of its kind in the UK.

Revenge porn, which is also called non-consensual pornography or image-based sexual abuse, was made illegal in 2015.

Stephen Bear turned up to court each day in a hired Rolls Royce


It remains quite difficult to prosecute because it has to be proven that the perpetrator intended to cause distress or embarrassment when sending explicit photos or videos.

An amendment to the law that would remove this stipulation was suggested as part of the Online Safety Bill in November.

Ms Roycroft, who has also helped set up a personal safety app for women, says Ms Harrison's case shows victims should not be deterred from coming forward despite the intricacies of the law.

"People need to remember it's a criminal conviction that will affect the rest of [the perpetrator's] life - every time they apply for a job or go abroad," she says.

"It's a stain on their character and quite rightly so."


'We admire Georgia'


During the trial of Bear, 33, the court heard he was a "self-obsessed show off", and he was seen arriving in court each day in a hired Rolls Royce and large fur coat.

"He believes that he hasn't done anything wrong and everyone's against him," Ms Roycroft adds.

"But this is an offence that you will be arrested for and dealt with [by the Crown Prosecution Service]".

Following the sentencing, Hannah von Dadelszen, deputy chief crown prosecutor for CPS East of England said: "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. Whether or not sex is consensual, it is a crime to share or threaten to share sexual images without consent to cause distress."

Georgia Harrison's arrival at court on Friday


The Women's Aid charity has been following the case closely, and its chief executive Farah Nazeer tells the BBC she is "pleased" that a prison sentence has been handed down.

"Image-based sexual abuse, which can also be known as 'revenge porn', has a long-lasting and traumatic impact on women," she says.

"This outcome sends the right message to young people, that this abuse is a criminal offence and will not be tolerated.

"We admire Georgia Harrison for speaking so openly about her experiences and for giving other women and girls the courage to find the support they need."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs Implements Stricter Water Quality Regulations for British Rivers
Welsh Government Launches Major Renewable Energy Initiative to Expand Offshore Wind Capacity Along the Coast
Northern Ireland Executive Reaches Final Agreement on Comprehensive Regional Infrastructure Modernization Plan
Office for National Statistics Reports Moderate Increase in British Retail Sales Driven by Autumn Discounts
Scottish First Minister Announces Emergency Housing Strategy to Tackle Severe Homelessness Across Urban Centers
Automotive Industry Leaders in the United Kingdom Urge Government Support for Electric Vehicle Manufacturing Transition
United Kingdom and European Union Initiate High-Level Negotiations on Post-Brexit Defense and Security Pact
National Health Service England Introduces Sweeping Digital Reforms to Reduce Hospital Waiting Lists Nationwide
Chancellor of the Exchequer Outlines Emergency Fiscal Measures to Address Local Government Funding Crises Across England
Bank of England Governor Warns of Persistent Inflation Pressures Impacting Interest Rate Decisions in the United Kingdom
UK Conservative Party Suspends Former Electoral Candidate Following Undercover Investigation
Actors and Writers Condemn British Anti Terror Legislation Targeting Activist Groups and Free Speech
Central Bank and Treasury Monitor Inflation Risks as International Monetary Fund Upgrades United Kingdom Growth Forecast
Storm Boelo Batters British Isles With Eighty Mile Per Hour Winds Causing Widespread Power Outages
British Intelligence Services and Technology Firms Partner to Counter Artificial Intelligence Enabled Cybersecurity Threats
UK Consumer Confidence Falls at Fastest Rate Since Brexit Vote as Cost of Living Intensifies
Chancellor John Healey Prepares Landmark Autumn Budget Focused on Devolution and Fiscal Rules
Northern Ireland Executive Ministers Reach Consensus on Shared Economic Development Priorities to Stimulate Regional Growth in Belfast
Department for Business and Trade Finalizes Conditional Support Package for Advanced Semiconductor Fabrication Facilities in Newport
Welsh Government Unveils Regional Industrial Development Strategy to Attract Green Energy Investment to South Wales Manufacturing Hubs
Foreign Secretary David Lammy Concludes Diplomatic Mission to European Capital Cities to Strengthen Post-Brexit Defense Cooperation
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Implements Stricter Regulatory Compliance Standards for Water Utilities Across England
Office for National Statistics Reports Moderate Wage Growth Stabilization and Resilient Employment Figures Across the United Kingdom
Scottish Government and Trade Union Representatives Reach Tentative Pay Agreement for Public Sector Transport Workers in Edinburgh
National Health Service England Announces Emergency Capital Funding Allocation to Reduce Winter Emergency Department Bottlenecks
Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee Signals Cautious Approach to Interest Rate Reductions Amid Persistent Inflation Pressures
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Treasury Officials Finalize Urgent Fiscal Adjustments Ahead of Upcoming National Budget
Tour de France Organizers Confirm Historic Grand Depart Featuring Edinburgh and Yorkshire Stages
National Cyber Security Centre Issues Urgent Alerts Following Global Security Vulnerability in Core Programming Software
Independent Energy Analysts Warn Great Britain Faces Highest Winter Power Tariffs in Europe
Major British Defense Contractors Commit to Delivering Forty Thousand New Apprenticeships and Training Placements
New Bradford Railway Station Infrastructure Project Approved to Transform Regional Transit Connectivity Across Northern England
Welsh Infrastructure Stakeholders Press Government for Accelerated Local Sourcing in Military and Uniform Manufacturing
Scottish Council Governance Crisis Triggers High-Court Legal Challenge Over Leadership Ouster Bid
High Street Bakery Chain Greggs Announces Major Factory Closures and Seven Hundred Job Cuts
Automotive Manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover Advances Advanced Defense Technology Partnership with European Allies
Treasury and Bank of England Officials Signal Persistent Concern Over Inflation-Driven Interest Rate Path
International Monetary Fund Upgrades United Kingdom Growth Forecast While Issuing Inflation Warnings
National Health Service Leaders Warn of Severe Capacity Pressures as Early Winter Respiratory Infections Surge
Government Issues Emergency Resilience Guidance Advising All British Citizens to Stockpile Essential Supplies
United Kingdom Private Sector Growth Beats Expectations in October Driven by Resilient Services and Manufacturing
Barclays to Cut Five Thousand Jobs in Major Artificial Intelligence Adoption and Cost-Cutting Overhaul
Piper Tomahawk Aircraft Crash Near Drymen in Stirling Claims Two Lives as Investigators Deploy
North Sea Transition Authority Approves Jackdaw Gas Field Production After Ministerial Authorization
Government Injects One Hundred and Forty Million Pounds to Expand Urgent Care Ahead of Winter Crisis
Department of Health Warns Further Pay Rises Will Derail National Health Service Waiting List Targets
Major Environmental Emergency Declared in South Wales Following Aerospace Kerosene Spill
Tank Barrel Production Returns to Britain as Defence Contractors Accelerate Domestic Rearmament
Government Approves Controversial Jackdaw Gasfield Development in the North Sea
National Health Service Maternity Safety Review Condemned Over Flawed Artificial Intelligence Integration
×