Stephen Bear, a British reality TV personality, is currently in prison serving time for revenge porn and voyeurism charges. In December 2021, Bear was found guilty on two counts of voyeurism and one count of disclosing private sexual photographs and films with intent to cause distress. He was sentenced to a total of 548 days (about 18 months) in prison.
Background on Stephen Bear’s Conviction
In August 2020, Bear secretly recorded himself having sex with his ex-girlfriend Georgia Harrison at his home. He then shared the footage on OnlyFans and Twitter without Harrison’s consent.
Harrison later discovered the footage online and was extremely distressed by Bear’s actions. She went to the police to report him for revenge porn. After an investigation, Bear was arrested in January 2021 and charged.
At his trial in December 2021, Bear was convicted by a jury on all counts. The judge sentenced him to:
- 364 days in prison for voyeurism
- 182 days for disclosing private sexual photographs and films
The sentences are to run consecutively, so in total Bear will serve 548 days (about 1 year and 6 months) behind bars.
How Much of the Sentence Will Stephen Bear Serve?
Bear was remanded into custody immediately after his sentencing on December 6, 2021.
This means he has been in prison since that date, so time served will count towards his total sentence.
As of September 2023, Bear will have served around 640 days in prison.
Key Dates in Bear’s Prison Sentence:
- December 6, 2021: Bear is taken into custody after sentencing
- June 2022: Bear passed the 6 month mark in prison
- December 2022: Bear will have served approximately 1 year in prison
- June 2023: Bear will have served around 1.5 years in prison
- December 6, 2023: Bear will reach the end of his 548 day sentence
So if Bear serves his full sentence, he can expect to be released sometime in early December 2023, after serving around 1 year and 6 months in total.
However, he may be released slightly earlier on a home detention curfew towards the end of his sentence.
Will Stephen Bear Be Released Early on Parole?
For sentences under 4 years in the UK, offenders are usually automatically released at the halfway point of their sentence.
However, in Bear’s case this does not apply because his offenses are related to revenge porn and voyeurism.
Under new laws passed in 2019, those convicted of such crimes must serve at least two-thirds of their sentence before being eligible for parole.
This means the earliest Bear could be released is after serving around 365 days – so sometime in late 2022 at the earliest.
However, there is no guarantee he will be granted parole at this point. The parole board will assess factors like his behavior in prison, whether he has shown remorse for his actions, and his risk to the public upon release.
Given the serious nature of his offenses, Bear may well be denied early parole and made to serve his full 548 day sentence.
What Will Happen When Stephen Bear is Released?
When Bear finishes his sentence, he will not be a free man immediately. He will likely face additional restrictions under the terms of his parole.
Typically, these parole conditions may include things like:
- Reporting regularly to a parole officer
- Living at an approved address
- Allowing home visits from law enforcement
- Not contacting his victims
- Not accessing internet-enabled devices unsupervised
- A curfew requiring him to be at home during certain hours
Additionally, Bear will be registered on the UK sex offenders registry for at least 10 years. This will place limits on his activities, where he can live, and his travel abroad.
If he violates any aspect of his parole, he could be recalled to prison to serve out the remainder of his original sentence.
Bear will have to serve his parole period responsibly and show he is committed to rehabilitation if he wants to fully put this crime behind him. But his status as a convicted sex offender is likely to make resuming his TV career very difficult if not impossible.
Could Stephen Bear Face More Prison Time in the Future?
Given his actions and apparent lack of remorse so far, some people have speculated that Bear could reoffend or commit further crimes when he is eventually released.
He certainly faces an uphill battle to turn his life around after serving such a long sentence. But it’s impossible to say for certain whether or not Bear will stay out of trouble in the future.
A few factors could potentially land Bear back in prison down the road:
- Breaching parole conditions: As mentioned above, if Bear breaks any of the rules of his parole, he could find himself back behind bars.
- Repeat offenses: If Bear commits new revenge porn, voyeurism, or other sex crimes after his release, he’s likely to face further prison time. His status as a repeat offender would count against him in sentencing.
- Failure to register as a sex offender: If Bear does not properly keep up with sex offender registration requirements after release, this could also constitute a new criminal offense.
- Other criminal acts: There’s always the possibility Bear commits unrelated crimes that warrant new prison sentences. His reputation is badly tarnished, which could influence how harshly any future offenses are dealt with in court.
For now, Bear still has a long sentence to serve before such possibilities come into play. But given the severity of his convictions, the road ahead will not be an easy one even after his release.
Frequently Asked Questions About Stephen Bear’s Prison Sentence
How long will Stephen Bear actually serve in prison?
Stephen Bear was sentenced to a total of 548 days (about 18 months) in prison. Factoring in time served while waiting for trial and sentencing, he is likely to serve around 1 year and 6 months behind bars before being released.
What were Stephen Bear’s offenses?
Bear was convicted of two counts of voyeurism and one count of disclosing private sexual photographs and films without consent. This related to secretly filming himself having sex with his ex-girlfriend and sharing it online.
When will Stephen Bear be eligible for parole or early release?
The earliest Bear can be considered for parole is after serving two-thirds of his sentence, so around late 2022 at the earliest. However, he may not be granted early release and could serve the full sentence.
Will Bear definitely serve his full sentence?
It’s likely but not guaranteed. The parole board has discretion over early release, and may decide Bear has to serve the entire 548 days due to the nature of his crimes.
What happens when Stephen Bear is released from prison?
He will be subject to parole conditions and monitoring for a period of time. He will also be placed on the sex offender registry for a minimum of 10 years.
Can Stephen Bear return to TV and media work after release?
It’s highly unlikely. Most TV production companies will not want to be associated with a convicted sex offender. His media career prospects look very bleak.
Could Stephen Bear face more prison time in the future?
It’s possible if he reoffends, breaches parole, or fails to follow sex offender registration rules. Any new offenses could land him back in prison.
Conclusion
Stephen Bear is currently in the midst of serving an 18 month prison sentence for filming and distributing revenge porn against a former partner. He was convicted in late 2021 and will not be eligible for early release until at least late 2022, after serving two-thirds of his sentence.
When Bear is eventually released, he will face strict conditions under parole and as a registered sex offender. These are likely to make it very difficult for him to resurrect his career as a media personality.
There are also risks Bear could find himself back in prison if he reoffends or breaks his parole conditions down the road. But only time will tell whether he has learned from his experience and will strive to rebuild his life responsibly after serving his time.