Shamed reality star Stephen Bear is due to be sentenced today after being found guilty of non-consensually sharing a sex video of himself and ex-girlfriend Georgia Harrison.
The Ex on the Beach star, 33, captured himself and Georgia, 28, engaging in sexual activity in his garden with a CCTV camera.
At the time Georgie was unaware that she was being filmed, and later begged her then-boyfriend not to share the footage after he revealed its existence.
However Stephen ignored her please, sharing it via WhatsApp and monetising it on subscription service OnlyFans, where he earned £40,000, prior to his account being deleted.
In court Stephen denied the charges of two counts of revenge porn and one count of voyeurism.
He was convicted of voyeurism on a majority vote of 10 out of 12 jurors, and unanimously on the two counts of revenge porn after more than eight hours of jury deliberations.
Under a law established in 2015, Stephen now faces a maximum penalty of two years imprisonment, an unlimited fine, or both.
After the verdict was announced in December, Georgia released a statement, speaking on the "absolute hell" she's been through over the past two years.
"The only way to describe how I am feeling now is relieved," she explained. "The last two years have been absolute hell and this verdict will allow me to start to put the pain I have suffered in the past and start embracing the future.
"Bear’s behaviour was completely unacceptable and those who choose to commit such crimes should and will be prosecuted."
The former Love Island contestant went on to speak on the dangers of the "virtual world" and how important it is to protect people from injustices online.
She continued: "We are living in a time where so much of our lives and our children’s lives are spent online and it is so important that individuals are protected in the virtual world just as they are in reality.
"Social media has given us the egalitarian belief that we are all publishers but what it hasn’t done is regulate what we should responsibly publish."
Describing how she's felt over the past two years as a result of the video being online, she went on: "I hope me taking a stand gives other men and women who have fallen victim to revenge porn the courage to seek justice and most importantly show them that they have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of.
"I have felt ashamed, hurt, violated, even broken at times but today I stand here feeling empowered, grateful and a huge sense of unity with all of those who have reached out to support me throughout this ordeal."
READ NEXT:
Click here for today's top showbiz news
Emotional Spencer Matthews recalls moment he heard brother's voice for first time in 24 years
Love Island's Amber Gill enjoys romantic Paris getaway with girlfriend Jen Beattie
Emmerdale's Caleb theories in full including 'real' identity, revenge plan and impostor twist
For the latest showbiz exclusives, sign up to our daily OK! newsletter
Source: Read Full Article
