‘Blade Runner’ Pistorius faces return to prison for murdering Reeva Steenkamp

Paralympian Oscar Pistorius is expected to be sent back to prison when he faces sentencing today after an appeal court ruled he was guilty of murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. Under South African law he could be jailed for life, although Sky’s legal analyst, Llewellyn Curlewis, believes Judge Thokozile Masipa will opt for around 12 years. Pistorius, 29, would have to serve at least half of that in prison before becoming eligible for parole. He has admitted shooting lover Reeva Steenkamp through a bathroom door at his Pretoria home but always claimed it was an accident, mistaking her for a burglar.

The accused has punished himself and will punish himself for the rest of his life far more than any court of law can punish him.

Defence attorney Barry Roux

He says he only realised his mistake when he broke down the door with a cricket bat, by which time it was too late – she had been hit by three bullets, one in her skull. Judge Masipa believed Pistorius’ version of events and sentenced him to five years for culpable homicide (manslaughter). During last month’s sentencing hearing, a defence psychologist said the athlete was a broken man. Earlier in the sentencing hearing, Reeva’s father, Barry, delivered a gut-wrenching plea for Pistorius to be punished for murdering his daughter.

You have to understand that forgiveness doesn’t exonerate you from what you did.

Barry Steenkamp

Pistorius