他の受刑者に命狙われ…　ベッカー氏、服役生活「恐ろしかった」

【ベルリンＡＦＰ＝時事】資産隠しなどの罪で実刑判決を受け、英国で服役していた男子テニス元世界ランキング１位のボリス・ベッカー氏（５５）は、２１日に放送された釈放後初めてのインタビューで、服役中に２度命を狙われ、「兄弟分」に守ってもらったことを明かした。（写真は、ボリス・ベッカー氏）
　ベッカー氏は２０１７年６月、スペイン・マヨルカ島に所有していた不動産をめぐり５０００万ポンド（約８０億円）の負債を抱え、破産宣告を受けた。その後、負債の返済を回避するため、２５０万ポンド（約４億円）の資産などを隠していたとして、２年６月の実刑判決を受けていたが、８か月の服役を経て前週に釈放されていた。
　ドイツのテレビ局プロジーベンザット１の取材を受けたベッカー氏は、３時間に及ぶインタビューの中でたびたび涙を流し、刑務所での夜は「恐ろしかった」とコメント。複数の殺人の罪で２５年の刑に服している受刑者ら２人から脅迫に遭ったが、他の受刑者に守ってもらったと明かした。
　ベッカー氏は、「兄弟分」と呼ぶ他の受刑者と親しい関係を築けたことは幸せだったと語り、自分を守ってくれた人たちとは今後も連絡を続けるとした。その一方で、独房の扉が閉まる音は一生自分の中に残り続けるだろうとし、刑務所内は「非常に汚く、危険で、殺人者や児童虐待犯、薬物の売人など、想像しうる全てのタイプの罪人がいた」と説明した。
　今後の居住地については「これからどこに向かうかは言えない」としつつ、出身のドイツになる可能性は低いと述べた。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2022/12/22-20:26）

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.
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.
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.
- 'The best beer' -
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 dirty and extremely dangerous . . . there were murderers, child abusers, drug dealers, every kind of criminal you can imagine.
The six-time Grand Slam champion claims it required the German ambassador to intervene to obtain an international phone card so he could contact his 87-year-old mother Elvira and other family abroad.
Gradually his conditions improved he taught English and mathematics to a class of 30 inmates and then gained a move to the lower security Huntercombe prison near Oxford, southern England.
However, the governor there declined to permit his friend and compatriot Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp to visit him.
Jurgen Klopp and Johannes B. Kerner (German TV presenter) -- they wanted to visit me in Huntercombe prison, he said.
So I gave the names ?- but the governor said: 'Jurgen is not allowed to visit you, he is too well known. We are concerned for his safety. So we have to reject that.'
Becker qualified for deportation after being released as he is not a British citizen and received a custodial sentence of more than 12 months.
Becker says a friend had chartered a private plane to fly him to Stuttgart once they knew he would be released and he had gone to stay with a married couple near Heidelberg not far from his home town Leimen.
Then I drank my first beer, he said.
Believe me, it was the best beer of my life.
Becker said the traumatic saga had taught him lessons and prison was the last step on his path to becoming a cleverer and humbler man.
As for what the future held and where he would live Becker said it was unlikely to be Germany.
I can?t say where I'm going now, he said.
I don't think it will be Germany. I don't know if I'll stay in Europe ?- perhaps Miami. I'm also a big fan of Dubai.
I've become cautious with my statements about the future.