Life

Marie Louise McConville: No sympathy from me when you reap what you sow

Reality TV star Stephen Bear was jailed for 21 months. Picture by Joe Giddens/PA
Reality TV star Stephen Bear was jailed for 21 months. Picture by Joe Giddens/PA Reality TV star Stephen Bear was jailed for 21 months. Picture by Joe Giddens/PA

I really can't stand it when people can't accept the consequences of their actions.

For me, it's quite clear: don't do the crime if you can't do the time.

It seems more and more people these days think it's ok to hurt other people and their families and not be held to account.

Who do they think they are?

I have been really galled this week by the news that reality TV star Stephen Bear has spent his first days behind bars crying.

The Ex On The Beach star was jailed for 21 months for leaking a video of him and former girlfriend Georgia Harrison having sex in his garden in 2020 without her permission.

The 33-year-old denied it but was convicted of one count of voyeurism and two counts of disclosing private videos.

We're told that when Stephen was taken to HMP Chelmsford to begin his jail term he cried "for days".

Sources told the media that he was left inconsolable and that he had been "completely unprepared" to go to jail.

Well boo-hoo for you Stephen, that's what you get for invading someone's privacy.

What on earth did you think was going to happen?

How would you feel if someone did that to a member of your family?

The outcome was never going to be a walk in the park.

You were never going to get a little slap on the wrist and sent on your way.

Have you any idea what impact your actions have had on Georgia?

What you did was despicable, the actions of a low-life and it is only right that you will now be on the sex offenders register for 10 years because everyone who comes into contact with you should know what you are capable of.

In a victim impact statement, Georgia told how what her ex had done had left her "so sick" and crying hysterically.

"Millions of people were watching me and laughing at me and it was completely, utterly out of my control," she said.

Saying she has been "silenced for too long", Georgia is now to take part in a new documentary about being the victim of image-based abuse and fair play to her.

Of course, he's not the only one playing the victim this week.

Former Phats and Small singer Ben Ofoedu has admitted he is struggling to be alone in the wake of his cheating scandal, which led to his split from TV presenter Vanessa Feltz last month.

The couple had been together for 16 years.

Taking to social media, Ben said `this alone thing is hard'.

Really Ben? Is it?

Well, who's fault is that?

You chose to cheat and risk your relationship so I guess you made your bed and you can just lie in it.

Sorry guys, there's no sympathy here for either of you – you reap what you sow.

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Hit ITV crime drama Grace returns to our screens on Sunday night and I can't wait.

Starring John Simm as Brighton-based Detective Superintendent Roy Grace, the show is an adaptation of international best-selling author Peter James's award-winning novels.

The show first premiered in 2021 with its first series of two episodes before series two arrived last year.

Also on the cast for series three are Richie Campbell as DS Glenn Branson, Zoë Tapper as Cleo Morey and Craig Parkinson as DS Norman Potting.

The new series of Grace begins on ITV and ITVX on Sunday at 8pm.

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Thank goodness the wintry weather seems to be behind us so how about some free tickets for the cinema to get you out and about?

So far, 2023 has been a fantastic year for films and Movie House Cinemas' four locations around Northern Ireland, at City Side in Belfast, Glengormley, Maghera and Coleraine, offer the best seats in the house.

So what do you fancy seeing?

In Champions, Woody Harrelson plays a former minor-league basketball coach who is ordered by the court to manage a team of players with intellectual disabilities.

He soon realises that despite his doubts, together this team can go further than they ever imagined.

Or, how about John Wicks: Chapter 4 or The Super Mario Bros Movie?

Full line-up details are available at www.moviehouse.co.uk.

I have two pairs of tickets for Movie House Cinemas to give away.

If you would like the chance to win a pair of tickets, simply email your name, address and telephone number – along with the answer to the question below – to competitions@irishnews.com.

Closing date for entries is noon on Tuesday March 21.

(Q) Name the actor who plays the male lead in Champions.

Normal Irish News rules apply.

COMPETITION WINNERS

The winners of the Bio-Plates competition are Mary Carson from Donaghadee, Jennifer Mason from Strangford, and Nóirín Curran from Belfast