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Testimony true crime podcast lifts the lid on how Stephen Bear made a mockery of his revenge porn trial
Stephen Bear has now become a notorious name in the reality TV world. The 33-year-old star-turned-convicted sex offender made headlines last year and in March this year during his highly publicised “revenge porn” trial in Chelmsford Crown Court.
Bear, from Loughton, who won Celebrity Big Brother in 2016, uploaded a video of himself having sex with The Only Way Is Essex and Love Island star Georgia Harrison onto his OnlyFans account in November 2020, without her permission. The video had been captured on CCTV cameras in his garden in August of that year.
Bear was later charged with disclosing private sexual images/films without consent with the intent to cause distress, and voyeurism. He denied the charges, standing trial in Essex in December 2022, before a jury convicted him of all three counts. In March this year, he was jailed for 21 months.
Read more: All the Stephen Bear trial updates as Celebrity Big Brother winner found guilty of ‘revenge porn’
The trial was one of the most high-profile and unique cases ever to come to Essex. From Bear’s lavish and exaggerated outfits, Georgia Harrison’s powerful testimony in the witness box, to Bear asking jurors and the judge if they had seen the video, it’s a criminal trial with more twists and turns than a snake’s tail.
You can listen to the podcast on Spotify here
Now, the Testimony true crime podcast has spoken to EssexLive’s Chief Reporter Ellis Whitehouse about the case for its latest epsiode. Ellis was present in court every day for Bear’s trial and sentence, filming the disgraced star arriving at court each day, and providing live updates on all the evidence from the court room.
In the podcast, which is released today, Ellis talks with producer and presenter Daniel J. McLaughlin about the background to the case, the build-up to the trial, the strength of Georgia’s account of the crime, and Bear’s “all over the place” defence statement. The episode also discusses the impact the trial has had on the crime of “revenge porn”, and how Georgia’s determination and courage can bring about further change and support for other victims, of which there are many.
Ellis said: “It was great to speak at length with Daniel about Stephen Bear’s trial, the obscenities that were witnessed and how the huge show that Bear tried to put on ended up backfiring for him. The case, along with his behaviour, are like none I’ve ever reported on in more than seven years as a journalist in Essex.
“I hope by going through everything I witnessed at length will be insightful and useful for anyone wanting to know just how this all played out, day-by-day, update to update, in his unbelievable yet fascinating criminal trial. While Bear attempted to make a mockery of the whole case, the strength and determination from Georgia Harrison to achieve justice and clear her name steals the story.”
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