For the former tennis star Boris Becker, the first full day of freedom began on Friday after being in prison for almost eight months. Just 24 hours earlier, the 55-year-old had seen daybreak at Huntercombe Prison in England. Now he is back in Germany and a free man.
Becker's lawyer Christian-Oliver Moser confirmed his dismissal to the German Press Agency yesterday. When asked by dpa, the British Ministry of Justice also confirmed that Becker was no longer a prisoner and that his prison sentence had been served. The "Bild" newspaper first reported on it. It was initially unclear where and when Becker arrived in Germany and where he spent the night.
Return home in a private jet
According to various media reports, Becker was traveling in a private jet chartered by a friend. But around the nine million metropolis of London there are a number of airports from which private jets take off. Possible destinations were Frankfurt, Munich or Stuttgart. The search for clues after the Becker flight was like a game of confusion. In any case, Becker did not appear at his mother Elvira's house in Leimen until the evening hours.
It wasn't due to a lack of freedom of movement. Becker is no longer subject to penal restrictions. "Our client Boris Becker was released from custody in England and left for Germany today. He has thus served his sentence and is not subject to any criminal restrictions in Germany," the lawyer said in a statement.
Becker was sentenced to two and a half years in prison by a London court at the end of April for failing to properly declare parts of his assets in his bankruptcy proceedings. He's been in prison ever since. First in the notorious Wandsworth Prison, later in the slightly more comfortable Huntercombe Prison.
Return to Great Britain not possible for the time being
The fact that Becker can now spend Christmas with his family in Germany is thanks to a special rule for criminal foreigners in Great Britain, according to which their prison sentences are released after a certain period of time if they leave the country immediately. A return to the United Kingdom should initially be denied him.
As a television expert on site at the Wimbledon tournament, Becker should no longer appear for the time being. How he imagines his private and professional future is not yet known. In any case, the Vice President of the German Tennis Association (DTB), Dirk Hordorff, had promised Becker a position weeks ago. "To put it bluntly: Boris can choose his job!" he told "Sport Bild".
