Former world No 1 Boris Becker freed from UK prison and set for deportation
Tennis great Boris Becker has been freed from prison after serving just eight months of his sentence and now faces deportation from the UK.
The three-time Wimbledon champion was jailed for two-and-a-half years in April for hiding £2.5million of assets and loans to avoid paying his debts.
The former world No 1 and BBC commentator was declared bankrupt on June 21, 2017 – owing creditors almost £50m – over an unpaid loan of more than £3m on his estate in Mallorca, Spain.
The 55-year-old German, who has lived in the UK since 2012, was expected to serve half of his sentence behind bars but was released on Thursday morning and is due on a flight to be deported from the UK, according to the PA news agency understands.
He is thought to have been transferred to a lower security jail for foreign criminals awaiting deportation in May – Category C Huntercombe Prison near Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire – after previously reportedly being held at Category B Wandsworth Prison in south-west London.
Last week his family and friends spoke of their delight that he could be home before Christmas with his 87-year-old mother Elvira, stating: “This is the best Christmas present I could hope for – I cannot wait to hold my beloved son in my arms.
Another friend of the family said: “Elvira is simply overjoyed he is coming home.
“For her, having Boris out of prison and back home is the best thing imaginable – and for it to happen in time for Christmas will be great for her. She was worried about when she might see him again, so this is all a huge deal for her – especially given her age.”
The six-time Grand Slam champion, who also coached former 21-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic, qualified for automatic deportation because he is a foreign national who does not have British citizenship and received a custodial sentence of more than 12 months.
Back in October it was reported by German media that Becker, who lost his job as a commentator with the BBC and Eurosport Germany following his imprisonment, adapted well to prison life and was helping fellow inmates by sharing his life experiences and teaching them how to improve their fitness and nutrition.
The reports added that he was “popular with his fellow inmates” and also assisted the prison coach.
READ MORE: Comment – Why Boris Becker’s fall from grace is one of the most tragic in tennis
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