‘The nights were atrocious’ — Emotional Boris Becker recounts prison experience

File picture of former tennis star Boris Becker, who was released from a British prison and deported to Germany on December 15
| Photo Credit: AP

Former tennis superstar Boris Becker said he relied on “blood brothers” to protect him in a British prison and said his life was threatened twice in his first interview since being released.

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The 55-year-old German was deported to Germany after being released last week having served eight months of a two and a half years sentence for flouting insolvency rules by hiding £2.5 million ($3.1 million) of assets and loans to avoid paying debts.

He had been declared bankrupt in June 2017, owing creditors £50 million over an unpaid loan of more than £3 million on his estate on the Spanish island of Majorca.

In an often emotional three-hour interview with German broadcaster Sat.1 the former tennis world number one said the nights in Wandsworth Prison — not far from where he won the Wimbledon title three times — were “atrocious.”

He said he was fortunate to have forged close ties with a group of inmates he termed “blood brothers” as two prisoners he called ‘John’ and ‘Ike’ on separate occasions had threatened him.

‘John’, serving 25 years for multiple murders, threatened to harm him if he did not give him money. ‘Ike’ got him on his own and Becker says 10 prisoners “saved my life” rescuing him when he yelled out.

“And then the next day Ike asked if I would accept his apology,” said Becker. “I could have rejected it. I encountered him in the laundry. He threw himself down to the ground and begged me for forgiveness.

The main entrance to HMP Huntercombe prison near Henley on Thames, where Boris Becker served his sentence
| Photo Credit:
AP

“I raised him to his feet and hugged him. And I told him that I had great respect for him,” added a tearful Becker.

Becker says he would remain in contact with those who protected him. “When you have fought for survival together, that brings you together,” he said. “We needed each other.”

‘Loneliest moment in my life’

Becker says the sound of the cell door closing will stay for him for the rest of his life.

“When the cell door closes, then there is nothing left. The loneliest moment I’ve had in my life. The nights were atrocious. You could hear the screams from people trying to kill themselves or harm themselves, and people trading swear words. You don’t sleep.”

He described the prison as “extremely…