Andrew Castle was left ‘reeling’ live on-air just moments 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. After being convicted of four charges earlier this month, Becker learned the verdict at Southwark Crown Court on Friday.
Speaking live on LBC, Castle said: “It’s four minutes past four, Andrew Castle with you and actually still reeling from the news this Friday afternoon that Boris Becker – who’s a great mate of mine, 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 – 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.”
JUST IN: Boris Becker JAILED as tennis legend imprisoned for 2 years 6 months
Becker was declared bankrupt in 2017 over an unpaid loan worth over £3million on his Spanish estate. And on April 8, he was found guilty of four charges – two counts of failing to disclose estate, the removal of property and concealing debt.
The German tennis icon’s financial crisis was catalysed by a divorce from his first wife, payments to support a love child, and withdrawn loans to repair his Mallorca holiday home while maintaining an expensive lifestyle. His defence that he had acted on expert advice was dismissed, succumbing him to at least 15 months behind bars. He could be released on parole in July 2023.
READ MORE: Boris Becker showed ‘no humility’ as judge slams tennis star
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