Breno handed prison sentence

Former Bayern Munich defender Breno was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison on Wednesday for deliberately setting fire to his house last year. 

Breno is believed to have been under the influence of alcohol when he set the fire on September 20, 2011. Judge Rosi Datzmann said that Breno would probably serve two and a half years of his sentence, then be deported to Brazil.

Prosecutors had wanted a sentence of five-and-a-half years, while the Brazilian's lawyer asked for a two-year suspended sentence to be imposed.

Earlier, Breno's defense attorney Werner Leitner argued that there are still doubts about whether arson was the cause of the fire. "He has nothing but family and football," he said. "Give Breno a chance."

Breno, born Vinicius Rodrigues Borges, did not say whether or not he had set the fire on purpose.

The 22-year-old Brazilian moved to the Munich giants in 2008 for 12 million Euros (15 million dollars), but never quite settled in. His contract expired in June.

Breno made his statement shortly before the verdict was handed down. "I would like to apologize for that night," he said. Bayern Munich and the owner of the house he was renting "lost their property."

He also apologized to his family and his children, saying that he was not a good role model. "I am a person who believes in god and I thank him for protecting my family," he said.

dr/msh  (dpa, AFP, SID)