Stephen Bear has been released from prison after serving half of his 21-month sentence for sharing intimate images of ex-partner Georgia Harrison without her consent.
The 34-year-old was jailed in March last year after being found guilty of voyeurism and two counts of disclosing private sexual photographs and films. He has now been released on licence, as is standard for offenders serving determinant (fixed-length) sentences. As per Sentencing Council, “Offenders sentenced to at least two years but less than four years will normally serve half their sentence in prison and serve the rest of the sentence in the community on licence.”
Bear is banned from contacting Georgia Harrison – who is currently appearing on Love Island: All Stars – and must keep the police informed of his whereabouts for a decade.
Women's Aid, a national charity working to end domestic abuse in England and Wales, has condemned Bear's early release, noting, "From our work with survivors, we know that violence against women not being taken seriously is one of the main reasons preventing many from reporting the crimes to police.
“Seeing perpetrators being released from sentences early, in this instance serving under a year, also has an impact on women coming forward in the future.”
The statement continued, “With trust in the criminal justice system already dangerously low, we need to ensure women feel both safe from abusers and that they can see the justice system understanding the severity of the crime committed.
“Short sentences leave too many women thinking, ‘What is the point of going through a trial for that?’”
Dr Charlotte Proudman, the barrister and founder of Right to Equality, has also condemned Bear's early release, describing it as “deeply concerning”. She continued, “Early releases of sex offenders not only cut short the legal consequences they should face for their abusive actions but undermine the principle that our justice system must hold them accountable.”
Last year, Georgia Harrison was awarded GLAMOUR's Activist of the Year at our annual Women of the Year Awards after successfully campaigning to improve the laws on intimate image-based abuse. Prior to Georgia's activism, it had to be proven that a person intended to cause distress by sharing intimate photos – as well as doing so without the other person's consent – in order to secure a conviction.
Speaking to GLAMOUR back in October 2023, Georgia reflected on the trial against Bear, noting, “There were times where I would just be so low […], but I had this inner knowing that everything was going to be OK. I just knew that justice would be served. I had to think, ‘I may prevent this from happening to so many young men or women in the future’, because people will be looking at Stephen Bear and thinking, ‘Wow, you just don't do something like that. It's just not OK.’"
Bear was initially arrested back in January 2021 – two years before he was convicted for his crimes. During this time, Georgia experienced court delays, invasive press speculation, and the indignity of Bear publicly dismissing the severity of the allegations. Her experience aligns with the everyday traumas experienced by those navigating the criminal justice system, which is reflected in the appallingly low reporting rates for sexual crimes.
“Victims of male violence get a life sentence, while perpetrators get a second chance with good behaviour.”
We know that five in six women who are raped don’t report it to the police (via Rape Crisis England & Wales), which is often down to embarrassment, lack of faith in the police, and the fear of humiliation. Those who do report sexual crimes to the police do so in the hope that justice will be served – does serving half a prison sentence really constitute justice?
Stephen Bear's early release comes just weeks after the news broke that Oscar Pistorius was released from prison in South Africa, having served well over half of his thirteen-year sentence for the murder of his wife, Reeva Steenkamp, in 2013. Yes, the cases are entirely different and take place within separate legal jurisdictions. But for those refreshing their social media feeds at home, the take-home message is eerily familiar: victims of male violence get a life sentence, while perpetrators get a second chance with good behaviour.
The debate about early release for those convicted of serious sexual offences has been raging in the UK for some time. Last year, Justice Secretary Alex Chalk vowed to end early release for rapists, telling the Conservative Party Conference, “We will ensure rapists spend the entirety of their sentence in prison – so that victims get the justice they deserve and the British people are protected.”
However, it's not clear how this will be enforced – particularly within an overcrowded prison system – and whether it will apply to those convicted of online sexual offences, such as image-based abuse and deepfaking.
“Survivors need to feel secure in a justice system that helps them live safely and free from abuse.”
Of course, it's highly questionable whether prison actually operates as an effective deterrent (and whether it keeps the public any safer), but failing radical intervention by the government, it's the closest thing to justice that many victims will ever access.
Danielle Vincent, lawyer at Hugh James Solicitors, points out that despite Bear's early release, “His conviction is likely to have a lifetime impact on not just his victim, but him and his family […] The bravado that we saw during the criminal trial was no doubt a smoke and mirrors to the reality of what his future life returning to freedom may now look like.”
She continues, “We must also consider that Ms Harrison has commenced a civil action against Bear for compensation for pain and suffering along with associated costs such as loss of earnings. This, in reality, could mean bankruptcy for Bear, depending on his financial position.”
While Bear's post-prison life will undoubtedly be challenging, it is incomparable to what he's inflicted on Georgia Harrison. As she said in her interview with GLAMOUR, “I think for anyone that's been a victim of image-based sexual abuse, there's always the quite horrifying fear of when I do meet someone and settle down, am I going to have this video out there forever that could one day get into the hands of your future children or your future partner?”
Dr Proudman tells GLAMOUR, "A failure to hold these men accountable means the system is enabling them. To survivors, reporting means they face scrutiny, blame, re-traumatisation, and more, only for their abuser (if they’re even convicted) to serve barely any time at all.
“So what was the point in reporting them?”
If you have had your intimate images shared without your consent, remember that you are not alone, and there is help available. Get in touch with the Revenge Porn Helpline at help@revengepornhelpline.org.uk. There is also a step-by-step guide on notyourporn.com, which should be followed before taking any action.
For more from Glamour UK's Lucy Morgan, follow her on Instagram @lucyalexxandra.
