Oscar Pistorius sentenced to six years for murder
Oscar Pistorius has been sentenced to six years in prison for the murder of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp.
The Olympic and Paralympic athlete was immediately taken from the dock to prison after a re-trial found he had committed murder, and not manslaughter.
The six-year sentence, of which 50 per cent must be served, is much less than the 15-year minimum sentence proscribed for murder under South African law. But in an hour-law session, Judge Thokozile Masipa said circumstances such Pistorius' rehabilitation and remorse outweighed other factors.
The prosecution and the defence can appeal and Judge Masipa said she would wait to hear if either side wanted to appeal. Some journalists at the court suggested the state prosecution may appeal for a harsher sentence.
The SCA has corrected Judge Masipa once before. Fully expect the NPA to appeal this and for the SCA to correct her a second time.
— Mandy Wiener (@MandyWiener) July 6, 2016
#OscarPistorius has been escorted down to the cells, family crying. We will wait to hear of state will appeal. Don't imagine they're happy.
— Pumza Fihlani (@Pumza_Fihlani) July 6, 2016
Pistorius, 29, shot his girlfriend Steenkamp through a locked toilet door in February 2013. He had admitted shooting her but said he mistook her for an intruder.
He has already served one year in prison but that time will not count against his new sentence, according to the BBC's South Africa producer. He must serve three years of his new sentence before he is eligible for parole.
The athlete famous for his "blade-runner" prosthetic legs, hugged his family before being led straight to a cell.
Steenkamp's parents were in the courtroom for the sentencing. Her father, Barry, has previously said because of their Christian faith, he and his wife June have forgiven Pistorius. But he must still pay for his crime, said Barry.
"June [Reeva's mother] is a Christian, so am I but I don't really go to church. June has forgiven. She feels it's right in her heart to forgive Oscar," he told the court in mid June.
"But...forgiving like that, it still does not exonerate you from the crime that you committed. He has to pay for that.
"It's been very difficult for me to forgive. But I feel the same, that Oscar has to pay for what he did. He has to pay for it. And that's all I can say.
"Most probably the time will come when I want to talk to Oscar, in private, not now, at a later stage, I would like to talk to him, yes."
Pistorius made history when he became the first amputee to compete in the Olympics. He ran in London 2012 using his prosthetic blades which replaced his legs below the knee.
