Three-time Wimbledon winner Boris Becker was sentenced to two and a half years in prison on bankruptcy allegations

Three-time Wimbledon champion Boris Becker has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison for hiding £2.5million in assets and loans to avoid paying his debts.

The former world number one, 54, was declared bankrupt on June 21, 2017 and owes creditors nearly £50million over an unpaid loan of more than £3million at his estate in Mallorca, Spain.

BBC commentator Becker transferred nearly €427,000 (around £390,000) from his business account to others including those of his ex-wife Barbara and estranged wife Sharlely “Lilly” Becker.

The father-of-four also failed to explain his stake in a £1million property in his hometown of Leimen, Germany, hiding an 825,000 euro (nearly £700,000) bank loan – valued at 1.1 Millions of pounds with interest – and stashed 75,000 shares in a £66,000 tech company.

Becker, who was sentenced to a two-year suspended sentence of 1.7 million euros in Germany in 2002 for tax evasion and attempted tax evasion (ca.

Judge Deborah Taylor sentenced the six-time Grand Slam champion to two and a half years in prison, half of which he will serve, at Southwark Crown Court on Friday.

Becker, wearing a striped tie in the Wimbledon colors purple and green, arrived in court holding the hand of his partner Lilian de Carvalho Monteiro, while his eldest son Noah carried a large Puma bag.

The tennis star told jurors his $50million (about £38million) career earnings were eaten up by a costly divorce from first wife Barbara, child support payments and “expensive lifestyle commitments”.

The German, who has lived in the UK since 2012, said he was “shocked” and “embarrassed” when he was declared bankrupt.

He claimed he worked with trustees charged with safeguarding his estate, even offered his wedding ring, and relied on the advisors to manage his life.

However, Becker was found guilty of four counts, including removal of property, two counts of failure to disclose the estate, and concealment of debt.

Prosecutor Rebecca Chalkley said Friday the jury found he acted “willfully and dishonestly,” but added, “Even now, Mr. Becker still tries to blame others when it was obviously his duty.”

The court heard he paid 1.13 million euros (approx.

This included £7,600 in tuition for children, almost £1,000 at Harrods and payments to Ralph Lauren, Porsche, Ocado and a children’s club in Chelsea.

He also paid €48,000 (around £40,000) for ankle surgery at a private clinic and spent €6,000 (around £5,000) at a luxury golf resort in China, the court heard.

Becker was acquitted of 20 charges, including nine counts of failing to hand over trophies and medals from his tennis career.

He said he doesn’t know the whereabouts of the memorabilia, including the 1985 Wimbledon title that catapulted him to stardom at the age of 17.

Becker was also acquitted of failing to declare a second German property, as well as his interest in the £2.5million Chelsea flat occupied by his daughter Anna Ermakova, who died during Becker’s infamous sexual encounter with the Waitress Angela Ermakova was conceived at London’s Nobu restaurant in 1999.

Jonathan Laidlaw QC, defending, said Becker did not spend money on a “lavish lifestyle” but used funds to pay for child support, lawyers, business expenses and rent.

He added: “He was in desperate financial straits and essentially made his own choice as to which creditors to pay, choosing or preferring to pay monies to loved ones rather than leave them to the common trustees, like these monies.” should be applied.”