Black Friday for Boris Becker. At the end of the trial in London, a judge announced the severe sentence, and the 54-year-old must go to prison.
Deep fall of a German sports icon: Boris Becker has suffered his greatest defeat and has to go to prison. The former tennis star was sentenced to two and a half years in prison by a London court on Friday.
The 54-year-old had until recently denied the allegations and fought to be able to leave Southwark Crown Court as a free man. But April 29 turned into a somber day in his dazzling life.
Becker, who had to start his sentence immediately, can still appeal. The six-time Grand Slam winner was found guilty on April 8 by the court jury on four out of 24 charges. Judge Deborah Taylor announced the sentence three weeks later, which hit Becker hard. He must serve at least 15 months with good behavior.
Defeat around 15 kilometers from Wimbledon
After the former world number one was declared bankrupt in 2017, he is said to have not disclosed possessions and concealed debts, among other things. In 1985 he was the youngest professional to date to win the grass classic in Wimbledon, the center court is around 15 kilometers away from the courtroom. Now his life changes again due to a drastic event in London.
Specifically, it is about six-figure transfers, owning a property in his home town of Leimen and encumbering it with a mortgage, and shareholdings that Becker apparently did not report.
He was acquitted on other points, including the trophies of the three-time Wimbledon winner, some of which had disappeared.
Dense crowds in front of the courthouse
When today’s TV expert, who has lived in London since 2012 and was not allowed to leave the country after the jury found guilty, appeared in front of the courthouse on Friday morning, there was a dense crowd.
Camera crews and photographers trained their lenses on Becker, who wore a gray suit and, as a member of the All England Club, chose a tie in the Wimbledon colors of green and purple. As before during the course of the trial, he was accompanied by his partner Lilian De Carvalho Monteiro, his son Noah also came to courtroom 1 – they all hoped for clemency.
Boris Becker is probably facing the most difficult time of his life
Convicted of tax evasion 20 years ago in Munich, Becker got off with a black eye and received a two-year suspended sentence and a fine. While prosecutor Rebecca Chalkley again sharply accused the accused on the day of the decision, Jonathan Laidlaw fought in the last words to ensure that Becker had a comparatively lighter outcome. Without success.
The trial destroyed his career and his life, the defense attorney said, and asked the judge to suspend the sentence that was due: “He literally has nothing.”
The lawyer had previously described his client’s “special life” since his triumph as a teenager at Wimbledon. Becker was a “hopeless case” when dealing with money, he had no overview of his possessions and relied on his advisors.
Becker now has to pay dearly for this. He is facing the most difficult time of his life.