Prosecution sees Boris Becker’s guilt as proven

For days, the fate of Boris Becker has been discussed in court in London. The public prosecutor’s office held its plea on Tuesday. The former tennis star from Leimen faces several years in prison.

In the London criminal trial against Boris Becker, the prosecution is convinced of the guilt of the former German tennis star. “The only verdict you can come to on any count is guilty,” prosecutor Rebecca Chalkley said in her closing statement to the jury on Tuesday. As is usual in Great Britain, she did not demand a specific sentence. First, the jury has to decide who is guilty, after which the judge sets the sentence. Theoretically, Becker could face up to seven years in prison.

Multiple secret accounts

Becker intentionally failed to disclose all of his valuables to his bankruptcy trustee, Chalkley said. “It is implausible that Mr Becker does not know where his trophies are.” The 54-year-old also deliberately withheld several accounts or denied owning real estate. Becker had rejected the allegations and emphasized that he had been wrongly advised. He himself had no idea about financial matters.

“Boris Becker is trying to blame everyone for not disclosing: his advisers, his lawyers, even (his bankruptcy trustees) – for not asking the right questions,” Chalkley said. “He knew it was his duty (to disclose) and not his advisers.” Not one advisor admitted complicity in court, and not one document suggested such a view, the prosecutor said. In addition, Becker did not even ask his insolvency administrators whether he had to specify things. “There’s only one constant in this case, that’s the man with the knowledge,” Chalkley said. This is Becker.

Becker’s defense attorney Jonathan Laidlaw then addressed the jury. He was expected to finish his remarks on Tuesday.