Tennis legend Boris Becker is reported to have complained about the food and lack of hygiene in prison. The German is spending time behind bars at Wandsworth prison after he was sentenced to two and a half years inside for hiding assets during bankruptcy proceedings.
However, Becker is expected to spend just 15 months locked up, and serve the rest of his time on licence. Prison sources say he is struggling to adapt to the food on offer, or lack thereof as he is using his £10 weekly allowance to top up meals with chocolate, biscuits and bananas from the canteen.
They also mentioned he found the overcrowding difficult to adjust to as well as suffering from a lack of sleep in his six square metre cell. A source told the Sun: “He is having a rough time and the worst thing of all is the food.
“He cannot believe how bad it is and how small the portions are. One of his first meals was corned beef, which wasn't good. But he will have to get used to it. He is also shocked at the lack of hygiene at the prison because it's so overcrowded.”
The three-time Wimbledon champion is expected to be transferred to a lower security prison in the near future. Girlfriend Lilian de Carvalho Monteiro paid her first visit to see the him last week.
She was seen leaving the prison in a denim jacket and joggers, carrying a large Puma sports bag. Her visit comes after Becker was allowed a phone call to both Monteiro, and his elderly mother Elvira. Prisoners at the London facility are usually allowed one phone call, however Becker was reportedly given a ‘celebrity bonus’ according to German news outlet Bild.
The 54-year-old may face more worry as he could be kicked out of the UK after serving his prison sentence. The German has lived in Britain since 2012 but will be considered for deportation as he does not have British citizenship.
Foreigners sentenced to more than a year in prison could be asked to leave the UK as their expulsion “is deemed to be conducive to the public good”. A source said: “Boris always said he would get citizenship but never did. Criminals from overseas can be deported if their sentence is serious enough. Boris is likely to be considered.”
