BORIS Becker has sparked outrage among his fellow inmates by landing a cushy job in jail. The fallen tennis star has been made a classroom assistant, teaching sports science to other lags at HMP Huntercombe. But his rapid elevation to the sought-after position has prompted other prisoners’ families to write letters of protest to the […]
BORIS Becker has sparked outrage among his fellow inmates by landing a cushy job in jail.
The fallen tennis star has been made a classroom assistant, teaching sports science to other lags at HMP Huntercombe.
But his rapid elevation to the sought-after position has prompted other prisoners’ families to write letters of protest to the governor.
One insider said: “You would normally serve years before getting a job as a classroom assistant as it is seen as a privilege.
“But Becker has been given the job within weeks of being sentenced.
“There is a lot of resentment about it and the families of some prisoners have written letters of complaint.”
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Three-times Wimbledon champion Becker was jailed for two and a half years in April for hiding £2.5million of assets and loans to avoid paying debts after being made bankrupt.
He is serving his sentence at the category C prison, near Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire.
In his role, the 54-year-old teaches PE theory and the benefits of exercise and diet to cons in a classroom at the jail, which has a high proportion of foreign inmates.
However, he is not working in the jail’s gym as he does not have enhanced prisoner status because he has not served long enough behind bars.
The insider added: “It’s not exactly the life of luxury he’s used to — but he’s got it better than most inmates.”
Becker is facing automatic deportation at the end of his sentence. He must serve half his term because he is not entitled to an electronic tag as a foreign prisoner.
But he is hopeful of being repatriated to his native Germany by November at the latest under the Government’s Early Removal Scheme. Becker believes he will then be released into the community before Christmas under the softer German penal system.
The six-times Grand Slam champ was allowed to watch the Wimbledon tournament behind bars.
He is said to have been thrilled by Novak Djokovic, who he coached between 2014 and 2016, clinching his seventh men’s title.
Becker’s trial centred on his bankruptcy in 2017 and an unpaid loan on his estate in Majorca.
He was obliged to disclose all assets to creditors, who were owed nearly £50million, but failed to do so.
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Last night the Prison Service said: “It’s untrue to suggest any preferential treatment was given.
“Offenders are able to access a variety of work and education opportunities while in prison.”
