Incarcerated tennis star Boris Becker could be freed from jail before Christmas by being deported to Germany.
The three-time Wimbledon champion is currently behind bars in HMP Wandsworth, just 2.4 miles from Centre Court, serving a two-and-a-half year sentence for bankruptcy fraud.
Becker, 54, believes he would be out on licence within weeks in Germany as his home country has more lenient laws than the UK.
According to the Home Office, foreign nationals serving prison sentences longer than 12 months are often deported ‘at the earliest opportunity’ as it is deemed ‘conducive to the public good’.
He has lived in West London since 2012 but never got around to applying for citizenship, despite stating his intention to do so seven years ago.
Under the Government’s Early Removal Scheme, Becker could be sent to Germany as early as November.
A source told The Sun: ‘He’s very confident he’ll be back in Germany well before Christmas.
‘He believes he would be out on licence there by Christmas as they have a much more lenient justice system.’
The newspaper also revealed that disgraced Becker has been teaching English to foreign prisoners.
It comes after it was reported that he is struggling to adjust to life behind bars as he comes to grips with the ‘constant noise’ and small portions of basic food.
Becker, who is known for enjoying luxuries like Cuban cigars, fine wines and fillet steak, was brought back down to earth after being served corned beef on his first night in prison.
He is finding it difficult to cope with the quantities of food on offer, sources say, and is using his £10 weekly allowance to top up meals with chocolate, biscuits and bananas from the canteen.
The sportsman is also said to be struggling to 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.’
Becker’s girlfriend was seen visiting the star, after he called her and his 86-year-old mother from jail.
Lilian de Carvalho Monteiro was seen walking out of the notorious Victorian lock-up wearing a denim jacket, joggers and a cap while carrying a silver Puma holdall.
Becker has been allowed to make two telephone calls in jail, one to Lilian – who is in her forties – and one to his elderly mother, according to reports.
He is ‘doing ok’ behind bars and his mental health is good, his estranged wife has said, although she added the jail ‘was not a five-star hotel’.
Prisoners at Wandsworth are allowed to make one call after arriving, but the sportsman was allowed an extra one as a ‘celebrity bonus’, a member of staff told Bild.