Boris Becker faces jail: his toughest match
Friday will be a fateful day for Boris Becker. The sentence in the trial for delaying bankruptcy will be announced in London. For the tennis icon, there is only a small hope of escaping a conviction after all.
He swapped center court for crown court. Tennis court versus courtroom. Involuntarily, but not through no fault of your own. Only 15 kilometers away from Wimbledon, where Boris Becker’s life changed for the first time in a direction that was not thought possible on July 7, 1985, it can happen again 37 years later at Southwark Crown Court, the British criminal court.
Figuratively speaking, Boris Becker is a break behind. Maybe even with a double break. The tennis legend will be sentenced on Friday for delaying bankruptcy. He has already been found guilty. Judge Deborah Taylor will announce whether he faces a large fine or even a prison sentence. In the worst case, Becker can face up to seven years behind bars.
Becker, visibly marked during the trial days earlier this month, was released on bail pending sentencing after the guilty verdict on April 8. He had to hand in his passport.
Becker veiled debts
Flashback: On June 21, 2017, Becker was declared bankrupt by a court in London. Almost five years later, on April 8, 2022, he was found guilty of delaying bankruptcy. The jury came to this conclusion on 4 of the 24 counts. Even if Becker was able to invalidate 20, the 4 remaining could now change his life. April 29, 2022 will be Becker’s fateful day.
What Becker is accused of in these four counts: non-disclosure of possessions and concealment of debts.
What is it exactly? Lawyer Jeremy Boyle from the London law firm “Summit Law LLP” explains on t-online: “It was found that Becker withheld significant assets from his bankruptcy trustees, including a large loan, shares and a property in Germany.” It is said to be a property in Becker’s hometown of Leimen (Baden-Württemberg).
Boyle continues: “In addition, Becker has withdrawn assets of almost 430,000 euros from his bankruptcy estate.” He is said to have illegally placed the money in the accounts of his ex-wives Lilly and Barbara.
Becker will find out the penalty for these offenses on Friday. The chances of avoiding the penalty – whatever it is – are slim. Attorney Boyle: “In theory, a person who is convicted can appeal to the Trial Division of the Court of Appeals.”
Becker must hope for mistakes of the court
Although Becker can appeal both the guilty verdict itself and the sentence, the chances of success would be slim. Boyle, who specializes in UK insolvency law, explains: “There is only a limited scope for appeal against a judgment or conviction.”
He names the three most common reasons:
- The judge made an error of law during the hearing.
- The judge misled the jury of law or fact in his reasoning.
- There was another procedural error during the trial.
As things stand, there is no evidence that Becker can profitably bring one of these points into the field. But it’s the only hope he can cling to.
In the course of his glorious career, from which not even the trophies remained, Becker turned around hopeless scores in tennis matches. The greater the pressure, the better he played. But now he only has what was never his game. He has to hope for a mistake from the opponent.
