Boris Becker has won six major championships
former tennis player Boris Becker (see photo gallery below)
They may be deported from the UK after being arrested for fraud, according to the country’s Home Office. According to experts, the case could set a legal precedent in the post-Brexit era, which has tightened immigration law for EU citizens.
The former Wimbledon champion was arrested last week after being sentenced to two and a half years in prison for hiding £2.5m of assets and loans to avoid paying debts.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “Any foreign national who has been convicted of an offense and sentenced to prison is considered deportation at the earliest opportunity.”
The authorities could argue that Baker’s criminal offenses continued after the implementation of the Brexit deal in December 2020.
It is believed that the former athlete did not have British citizenship and therefore could face deportation under the previous, more lenient version of the UK Border Act 2007, and UK immigration and asylum legislation.
According to experts, if the court finds that Baker’s criminal behavior occurred after December 31, 2020, he will be subject to automatic deportation. The former athlete can appeal on human rights grounds. However, recent cases of people being deported despite having lived in the UK for much longer than Baker reveal the difficulty of succeeding.
If the conduct occurs before that date, it benefits from the protection of the Withdrawal Agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom. “His deportation will still be considered, and the Home Office will likely try to deport him, but he will have a stronger legal case to stay,” immigration attorney Colin Yeo told The Guardian.
the case
Baker was found guilty in early April of four counts under British insolvency law, including non-disclosure, concealment and removal of critical assets following a bankruptcy case.
The former player was acquitted of 20 other counts, including nine for failing to deliver cups and medals in tennis, including two from Wimbledon.
The former tennis player, who holds six Grand Slam titles, has denied violating the country’s bankruptcy laws after declaring bankruptcy in 2017, when he owed nearly £50m to creditors, according to the BBC.
The six-time Grand Slam champion was convicted of funneling money to his ex-wife Barbara and his currently estranged wife following bankruptcy in 2017.
