Uli Hoeneß has spoken out in front of the Augsburg district court for a man who secretly took pictures of him in prison. "I have no interest that the defendant is sentenced," said the football manager according to the "Augsburger Allgemeine".
Hoeneß's former inmate was sentenced to fourteen months' imprisonment in 2017. The court saw it as proven that the 49-year-old had secretly shot photos of the manager with a miniature camera in a ballpoint pen. The pictures were not published. The man appealed against the verdict.
Hoeness, who had been imprisoned for tax evasion, testified as a court witness. He himself had filed a criminal complaint against the detainee. Although the manager showed understanding for the defendant, he refused, according to the report, to withdraw his complaint.
Need "shamelessly" exploited
According to a question from the defense attorney Hoeness said: "No, if I could exchange the defendant, I would do it, but I can not do that." Not the man who should have taken pictures of him, belong to the dock, he said the "Augsburger Allgemeine" according to: "those behind it should be punished."
Thus, the manager says the reporter of a magazine, according to the charge should have offered 2500 euros for the pictures. "They belong here," Hoeness said, according to the report. "The need of a prisoner was shamelessly exploited for such shabby purposes."
Hoeness itself has it in his hands to end the proceedings: If he retracted his claim, the process would be over, according to a court spokesman.