Picture Credit: Twitter
Former Grand Slam champion Boris Becker, who is facing a three-week trial, arrived at Southwark Crown Court on Monday morning. The images of him went viral on social media and while fans were unaware about the reason behind same, things started to become clear when the complete details of his case were slowly revealed.
The 54-year-old has notably been accused for failing to hand over his trophies to settle debts. The list of prestigious trophies include the 1985 and 1989 Wimbledon men’s singles title, Australian Open titles from 1991 and 1996 and 1992 Olympic gold medal. He was declared bankrupt in 2017 and faces prosecution for not not complying with legal and financial obligations to disclose information.
Becker has denied all the allegations levied against him
Becker had allegedly concealed more than 1.5 million euros (around £1.3 million) while also failing to disclose two properties in Germany and a flat in Chelsea, West London. He has been accused of playing with the system by transferring hundreds of thousands of pounds elsewhere, which includes the bank accounts of his former wife Barbara Becker and estranged wife Sharlely “Lilly” Becker.
The tennis legend has denied all the 24 charges levied against him under the Insolvency Act between May and October 2017. It is indeed going to be intriguing to see how the case pans out over the course of next few days.
You must ignore this defendant is celebrity: Judge Deborah Taylor
As per reports, the jury has been asked specifically to ignore the celebrity status of Boris Becker during the trial considering the fact that it's one of the most high-profile cases going on in the country right now.
“You must leave aside anything you have heard or any preconceptions about this case, including anything about this defendant, and start with a blank page. You must ignore this defendant is celebrity and treat him in exactly the same way you would treat someone you have not heard of and is not in the public eye," judge Deborah Taylor told the 11 men and 1 woman of jury.
On Monday, Prosecutor Rebecca Chalkley opened the case and demanded that Boris Becker must pay the price for playing with the system after being declared bankrupt.
