Stephen Bear pays back £22,000 sex tape cash
PAThe BBC can reveal the former TV personality and convicted sex offender Stephen Bear has settled the sum he was ordered to pay under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
In December 2022 Bear, of Loughton, Essex, was found guilty of voyeurism and two counts of disclosing a private sexual film.
He was given a confiscation order of £22,305 in March 2024 and had three months to pay.
Chelmsford Crown Court has confirmed the amount was paid in full on 8 May.
Bear, 34, was reported to Essex Police by his ex-girlfriend and Love Island star Georgia Harrison, after he shared a CCTV video of the pair having sex in his garden without her consent.
He sent the video to a friend via WhatsApp and later uploaded it to the adult content subscription site OnlyFans.
Bear was charged under new "revenge-porn" laws, and was sentenced to 21 months in prison in March 2023.
Georgia Harrison waived her right to anonymity in order to raise awareness about the impact this type of crime can have on victims.
PAIf Bear failed to pay the money he owed by 28 June he would have faced a further nine months in prison.
Half the payment will go to the Home Office, with the remainder of the sum split between the Crown Prosecution Service and Essex Police.
Of the total given to Essex Police, the majority will go into a fund to buy equipment for future asset recovery; a contribution will also be made to the Essex Community Foundation charity.
The amount does not include a £5,000 victim payment to Ms Harrison, which must be paid on top of the confiscation order taking the total to more than £27,000
Bear, who has featured in reality TV programmes including Celebrity Big Brother, sold his home in Loughton while he was in prison to pay legal bills.
Details from the Land Registry show the three bedroom end-of-terrace house was sold for £400,000 in July last year, although it was bought in 2018 for £475,000.
Debbie Price, the deputy chief crown prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service, said: "It’s important criminals understand that aside from the sentence they receive, we will also go after their bank accounts and assets to prevent them from enjoying the money they made from their crimes.”
Follow Essex news on Facebook, Instagram and X. Got a story? Email [email protected] or WhatsApp us on 0800 169 1830