Six-time Grand Slam champion Boris Becker has been handed a two-and-a-half year prison sentence for hiding assets in order to avoid paying debts.
Earlier this month, Becker was found guilty of four charges under the Insolvency Act after his 2017 bankruptcy and was sentenced at Southwark Crown Court on Friday afternoon.
The 54-year-old was acquitted of a further 20 counts but was convicted of charges relating to removal of property, two counts of failing to disclose estate and concealing debt.
The charges that Becker was found not guilty of included nine counts of failing to hand over honours he won during his playing career, which included two Wimbledon crowns.
Becker's charges carried a maximum of seven years behind bars, but BBC journalist Natalie Pirks reports that the three-time Wimbledon champion will only serve half of his sentence in jail.
Becker had previously been convicted of tax evasion and attempted tax evasion in Germany 20 years ago, and he was initially declared bankrupt on 21 June 2017 over a £4m unpaid loan on his Mallorca estate.
The German was facing debts of almost £50m to creditors and was found to have transferred nearly £390,000 from his business account to others, as well as hiding a bank loan worth £1.1m with interest.
During the trial, Becker spoke of his "shock and embarrassment" at being declared bankrupt five years ago, claiming that his "expensive lifestyle commitments", divorce and child maintenance payments ate away at his £38m career earnings. body check tags ::
