Stephen Bear is reportedly set to be released from prison, after 11 months behind bars.
Last March, the reality star was sentenced to 21 months in prison for uploading a sex tape of his ex Georgia Harrison online without her permission.
The 33-year-old expects to be released halfway through his sentence this month, per guidelines for sentences less than two years.
A source told The Sun: “Stephen has served his time – and he’s due out of prison in the next few weeks.
The reality star has vowed he is a changed man after his time behind bars, and won’t be returning to social media or his previous lifestyle.
“He’s been telling pals he’s not the same man that went into prison,” the source claimed.
“There will be no hopping back on to social media or rolling straight back into the nearest nightclub when he gets out, he says he just wants to get back to east London and his family.”
“Obviously time will tell if he has changed his ways.”
Stephen, 33, was found guilty of voyeurism and two counts of disclosing private, sexual photographs and films after uploading the video to his OnlyFans account in 2020.
In July, Master Victoria McCloud ruled that Bear must pay £207,900 in damages to Georgia in one of the highest ever payouts in breach of privacy cases, per The Evening Standard.
Master McCloud said: “This is a case where the term ‘revenge porn’ is sometimes used, it’s a colourful term for the media.”
“This is a gross act of violation by a man towards a woman through the medium of the internet. A more appropriate term is ‘image-based abuse’.”
“Pornography is generally actually something done consensually. It was consensual sex but it certainly wasn’t consensual filming, and it was deeply violating.”
He filmed the pair having sex on CCTV without her knowledge, and allegedly made £40,000 after he uploaded it to OnlyFans.
Bear was convicted of voyeurism and two counts of disclosing private, sexual photographs and films.
Alongside his 21-month jail sentence, Bear was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register for ten years and was slapped with a five-year restraining order banning him from contacting Georgia.
Bear will also have notification requirements to keep police informed about his address and whereabouts for 10 years.
Victims of any kind of sexual offence in the UK are automatically granted anonymity, but Georgia bravely decided to waive her right to anonymity in order to speak out about her experience.
The former Love Island star opened up about the ordeal in an ITV documentary called Georgia vs. Bear: Revenge Porn, which aired earlier this year.
The documentary featured vlogs from Georgia as the case unfolded, as well as interviews with her mum Nicola and fellow Love Island contestants.
Stephen’s house in Loughton, Essex was put on the market last year for £500,000 in and has been sold to pay off his debts.
It is unclear how the former TV personality is planning to earn money upon his release, and it is said he was earning less than £5 a week doing teas and coffees for his fellow inmates at HMP Chelmsford.
Stephen was moved to HMP Brixton and worked in the prison gym there where he earned £8 a week.
Although the 33-year-old went to prison with OnlyFans star Jessica Smith as his girlfriend, he won’t be greeted by her when he leaves.
Although the model vowed to wait for him on the outside, she ended things back in September and is said to be seeing a doppelganger of the criminal called Josh.
Jessica had been recording her prison visits to see Stephen and uploading them to her social media, where she showcased how much she missed him.
A source told The Sun: “He said he was beside him and cried for days when Jessica ended things and has been sending letters asking for a second chance.”
“And in the next breath asking about his clothes and shoes. That just sums him up – me, me, me.”
The source concluded: “Jessica is better off out of it and she realises that now.”
