A shower and a shave! Shamed reality TV star Stephen Bear is 'hiding under no rock' as he chops off his long locks, gets his eyebrows plucked and shops for perfume after celebrating first night out of prison with family

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  • The convicted sex offender was released part-way through his 21-month term 

Stephen Bear is ‘hiding under no rock’ as he ditched his long locks and rosary beads and headed out for a coffee less than a day after leaving prison in London on Wednesday looking unrecognisable.

Bear was welcomed home by his family after being freed having served half of his 21-month sentence for sharing a sex tape of his Love Island ex Georgia Harrison.

The disgraced reality star, who won Celebrity Big Brother in 2016, was jailed in March after filming and uploading footage of him having sex with Ms Harrison, who is currently starring in the current series of Love Island: All Stars, in his garden on OnlyFans.

On Thursday morning he bought a coffee before heading out to get his eyebrows done and sampling various aftershaves. 

Photographs from last night show Bear being greeted with a ‘happy birthday’ banner by his parents, Linda and Stephen Senior, before he celebrated with his family. Bear, who turned 34 on Monday, was seen greeting his dogs before hugging his mother. 

He was earlier seen leaving HMP Brixton sporting a scruffy beard and long shaggy hair – a far cry from his usual groomed appearance.

Stephen Bear drastically changed his appearance and gave his long locks the chop just hours after leaving prison on Wednesday looking unrecognisable

Stephen Bear drastically changed his appearance and gave his long locks the chop just hours after leaving prison on Wednesday looking unrecognisable

Bear was seen purchasing a coffee early on Thursday morning after his release the day before

Bear was seen purchasing a coffee early on Thursday morning after his release the day before

On release the convicted sex offender was dressed in a grey and yellow T-shirt and shorts and trainers, despite the cold temperatures. Hanging from his neck was a rosary – which Catholics use to pray. 

But upon leaving the family home in London to buy coffee from a nearby cafe, Bear had completely shaved off his beard and got rid of the long hair he was seen with the day before.

He wore a grey Nike tracksuit and trainers, with a camo-print coat and sunglasses.

Sources close to Bear previously told how he is ‘not the same man’ who went into HMP Brixton, emphasising he plans to focus on spending time with his family on release.

His sister Hayley posted a video on Instagram showing the reunited family on Wednesday night, with images showing them tucking into pizza. Bear had already cut off his hair and beard just a few hours after arriving home.

Hayley captioned the video: ‘No-one’s hiding under no rock’. 

Bear was jailed in March after being convicted of voyeurism, disclosing private, sexual photographs and films with intent to cause distress, and harassment without violence. 

He provoked outrage with his arrogant and disrespectful behaviour in court – regularly turning up in a Rolls Royce that he had rented for £475 a day.

Bear was spotted leaving the family home after celebrating with his family last night

Bear was spotted leaving the family home after celebrating with his family last night

Stephen Bear was seen getting his eyebrows done near to his home

Stephen Bear was seen getting his eyebrows done near to his home

Bear was later seen sampling aftershaves on his day of personal grooming

Bear was later seen sampling aftershaves on his day of personal grooming

The shamed reality TV star returned to his closely groomed appearance after leaving HMP Brixton looking unrecognisable

The shamed reality TV star returned to his closely groomed appearance after leaving HMP Brixton looking unrecognisable

Later on Thursday Bear was seen carrying a bowl of oranges at a local market

Later on Thursday Bear was seen carrying a bowl of oranges at a local market

There was no sign of the shaggy beard or rosary beads, used by Catholics in prayer, on Thursday

There was no sign of the shaggy beard or rosary beads, used by Catholics in prayer, on Thursday

Photographs show Stephen Bear being greeted with a 'happy birthday' banner by his parents, Linda and Stephen Senior

Photographs show Stephen Bear being greeted with a ‘happy birthday’ banner by his parents, Linda and Stephen Senior

Bear, who turned 34 on Monday, was seen greeting his dogs before hugging his mother

The emotional homecoming came after he had spent 11 months in jail out of a 21 month sentence

The emotional homecoming came after he had spent 11 months in jail out of a 21 month sentence 

Bear leaves HMP Brixton yesterday after being released on licence half way through his term

Bear leaves HMP Brixton yesterday after being released on licence half way through his term 

The disgraced Big Brother contestant was seen sporting shaggy hair, a long beard, and a crucifix dangling from his neck 

A source from inside HMP Brixton told MailOnline he had ‘found religion’ during his time inside. They said he had arrived at HMP Brixton seeming ‘scared and timid’ but had soon found his feet – taking a role in the prison’s gym. 

Bear is said to insist he is a ‘changed man’ and a post on his X page earlier this month said he ‘can’t wait to get my life back on track’.

He who will be on licence and wearing an ankle tag for the second half of his sentence, is subject to a restraining order that bans him from contacting Ms Harrison for five years. He must keep the police informed of his whereabouts for a decade. 

READ MORE – Disgraced reality TV star Stephen Bear insists he wants to ‘get life back on track’ after sex tape scandal

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MailOnline understands Ms Harrison has not been told about his release today but was aware it was imminent before she entered the villa. She previously said she ‘didn’t have much fear or any concerns’ about him being let out and just wanted to ‘move on’ with her life. 

Ms Harrison has become a campaigner against revenge porn and violence since Bear’s trial and said her time in the Love Island villa would be a welcome break.

Before entering the show, she said: ‘I really feel like I’ve missed out on that in the last couple of years because I’ve been fighting for myself and other women, which I will continue to do, but I’m just going to have a little six-week break. I’m having a sabbatical.’

A source had earlier told The Sun: [Bear] has been telling pals he’s not the same man that went into prison,’ they said.

‘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.’

The source said ‘time will tell’ if he has ‘changed’.

His girlfriend Jessica Smith dumped him in September after vowing to stand by him while he was in jail. 

On Wednesday she shared a video on TikTok showing a montage of videos filmed with her new boyfriend and wrote in a caption how she looked ‘happier now’.  

Bear, by contrast, was said to be heartbroken by the split.

Women’s Aid, a charity that aims to end domestic violence against women and children, slammed his early release.

It said: ‘Following today’s news of the release of Stephen Bear, only 11 months into his sentence, our thoughts are with Georgia Harrison and other survivors affected by image-based sexual abuse crimes like so-called ‘revenge porn’. 

‘From our work with survivors, we know that violence against women not being taken seriously is one of the main reasons preventing many from reporting the crimes to police. 

‘Seeing perpetrators being released from sentences early, in this instance serving under a year, also has an impact on women coming forward in the future. 

‘With trust in the criminal justice system already dangerously low, we need to ensure women feel both safe from abusers and that they can see the justice system understanding the severity of the crime committed. 

The convicted sex offender has been given a restraining order and told not to contact Georgia Harrison (who he's pictured with) for five years

The convicted sex offender has been given a restraining order and told not to contact Georgia Harrison (who he’s pictured with) for five years 

Ms Harrison is appearing on the current series of Love Island. She's pictured on the show last night with her pairing, Luis Morrison

Ms Harrison is appearing on the current series of Love Island. She’s pictured on the show last night with her pairing, Luis Morrison 

Bear pictured in December 2022 before he went to prison
Bear today

Bear pictured in December 2022 before he went to prison (left) and today (right) 

Bear made no comments to photographers as he left HMP Brixton

Bear made no comments to photographers as he left HMP Brixton 

The disgraced social media personality is said to have told friends he wants to get his life 'back on track'

The disgraced social media personality is said to have told friends he wants to get his life ‘back on track’ 

‘Short sentences leave too many women thinking, ‘what is the point of going through a trial for that?’. 

‘So-called ‘revenge porn’ has a devastating effect on a survivor’s sense of autonomy and privacy, as well as a long-lasting impact on their mental health, and the criminal justice system needs to reflect this.’

HMP Brixton, where the disgraced celebrity was held, opened in 1819 and is one of London’s oldest prisons. 

It holds a Category C ranking and famous former inmates include philosopher Bertrand Russell, the Kray twins, rapper Giggs and Mick Jagger – who was held there after being convicted of possessing illegal amphetamine pills. 

Oswald Mosely, founder of the British Union of Fascists, was interned in Brixton in 1940 under regulations to protect the UK from Nazi sympathisers and in 1991 it was the scene of a famous escape by IRA men Pearse McAuley and Nessan Quinlivan. 

More recently it was the setting of Gordon Ramsay’s 2012 TV series Gordon Behind Bars, where he taught 12 inmates to cook. It is also home to The Clink, where inmates serve meals to paying members of the public.  

In October, Bear’s ex Ms Harrison appeared on stage at Labour’s conference in Liverpool to demand abuse cases are given priority in courts.

The former star of reality shows The Only Way Is Essex – who has waived her right to anonymity – spoke of her long wait for justice. 

She said it took two years from the day she reported the crime for Bear to be convicted and warned about the impact of long legal processes on victims of other crimes, such as rape and domestic abuse.

Bear sports a series of tattoos, including an etching of The Joker on his left arm

Bear sports a series of tattoos, including an etching of The Joker on his left arm 

He was dressed in a grey and yellow T-shirt and shorts and trainers, despite the cold temperatures

He was dressed in a grey and yellow T-shirt and shorts and trainers, despite the cold temperatures 

Bear was seen wearing a tag. A restraining order prevents him from making contact with Ms Harrison

Bear was seen wearing a tag. A restraining order prevents him from making contact with Ms Harrison 

Bear provoked outrage with his arrogant and disrespectful behaviour in court - regularly turning up in a Rolls Royce rented for £475 a day

Bear provoked outrage with his arrogant and disrespectful behaviour in court – regularly turning up in a Rolls Royce rented for £475 a day

Bear with Jessica Smith - who had vowed to stand by him while he was in prison, but later dumped him

Bear with Jessica Smith – who had vowed to stand by him while he was in prison, but later dumped him

A supportive message that was apparently shared on social media to mark Bear's birthday

A supportive message that was apparently shared on social media to mark Bear’s birthday 

The 28-year-old said she now has an ‘onslaught’ of women reaching out to her for help on social media following her high-profile case.

She also called for ‘massive online platforms’ to be required to take down sexually explicit content which had been posted without consent. 

Speaking on a panel on the main stage of Labour’s conference, Ms Harrison said it was ‘really important that victims feel they are going to be taken seriously when they’re going to the police’.

Read more: Georgia Harrison ‘signs up to Love Island All Stars’ after teasing her TV return following Stephen Bear revenge porn ordeal

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‘I speak to a lot of girls who just feel like they weren’t taken seriously or no one really understood when they did go to the police,’ she added.

‘One thing I wanted to highlight from my personal experience is I feel there needs to be more support for victims when they do choose to call the police and go into the court system.

‘For me, from the day I reported the crime, it took me two whole years to get a conviction.’

Ms Harrison spoke of how the two-year legal ordeal she endured was ‘detrimental to my career and my mental health, which was really hard for me’.

She added: ‘But I couldn’t help but think, imagine if you were either a victim of domestic abuse or a sexual assault, if you had been raped.

‘And you get a phone call to say ‘actually you’re going to have to wait a whole other year to even get inside a court room’.

‘You’ve got to spend the next year of your life walking down the street not knowing if you’re going to get attacked, killed, violated – how would you live with that?

‘It would be so nice if the courts could make sure if it is a victim of sexual assault or domestic abuse – especially as in a domestic abusive relationship, that amount of time leaves the perpetrator so long to manipulate them to drop the charges – I think those sort of cases should be prioritised and 90 per cent of those victims are women.’

In June, the law cracked down on people who share intimate images without the consent of those depicted. 

Ms Harrison has demanded abuse cases are given priority in courts

Ms Harrison has demanded abuse cases are given priority in courts

Bear arriving at court in December last year
Bear leaving Brixton prison today

Bear arriving at court in December last year (left) and leaving Brixton prison today (right) 

The former convict got into a waiting taxi after leaving the Victorian jail this morning

The former convict got into a waiting taxi after leaving the Victorian jail this morning 

Bear was sentenced to 21 months after being convicted of voyeurism, disclosing private, sexual photographs and films with intent to cause distress, and harassment without violence

Bear was sentenced to 21 months after being convicted of voyeurism, disclosing private, sexual photographs and films with intent to cause distress, and harassment without violence