Snipes 'to surrender before Christmas'

Wesley Snipes will be required to start his three-year prison sentence later this week, it has been reported.

According to TMZ, the Blade actor has had a request to start serving his tax evasion penalty on January 6, 2011 denied.

Instead, the star will be required to surrender to the authorities on December 9 as originally dictated.

The website reports that Snipes had claimed that he did not want to be taken into custody during the holiday period as he had "four minor children".

However, the judge who reviewed the request stated that Snipes had remained free for two and a half years after he was originally sentenced, and had "all of that time to place his affairs in order".

The judge reportedly added: "The sooner he begins his sentence, the sooner it will end."