Former British No.1 on Boris Becker sentence: ‘I’m sad his life has come to this’
Former British number one Andrew Castle was left ‘reeling’ live on-air after his “great mate’ Boris Becker received a two-and-a-half-year jail sentence for several breaches of the Insolvency Act relating to his bankruptcy in 2017.
Earlier this month, Boris Becker was found guilty of four charges under the Insolvency act which consisted of two counts of failing to disclose estate, the removal of property and concealing debt.
The 54-year-old, who won six major titles including three Wimbledon titles, will now pay for his crimes in prison following his sentencing in Southwark Crown Court on Friday.
In a reaction to the sentencing of the German, former world number 80 turned pundit Andrew Castle, live on air for the LBC, expressed his sadness over his ‘great mate’s’ sentencing.
“[I’m] actually still reeling from the news this Friday afternoon that Boris Becker – who’s a great mate of mine,” Castle said.
“I’ve done many Wimbledon finals with him for the BBC, I’ve sat alongside him, I’ve played with him, I’ve practised with him, I’ve been drunk with him, he’s a good man – he is going to prison for two and a half years and I’m shocked because it’s close to me.
“I’m sad that his life has come to this, and I hope he is able to rebuild on the other side. But he’s been found guilty of transferring hundreds of thousands of pounds from his business account and failing to declare a property in his home town. If you don’t pay your creditors, you pay the price.
“It’s the second time this has happened after what happened in Germany back in 2002. I thought this was a possibility, but I’m surprised and deeply shocked that I won’t be working with him at Wimbledon this year. He’s going to prison, and I feel sorry for Lilian, as well, who is his girlfriend.”
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