Oscar Pistorius sentenced to five years in jail for killing Reeva Steenkamp

Sport360 staff 12:44 21/10/2014
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  • Heading down: Oscar Pistorius.

    South African judge Thokozile Masipa on Tuesday sentenced Oscar Pistorius to five years in prison for shooting dead his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine's Day 2013.

    "Count one, culpable homicide, the sentence imposed is five years," Masipa said.

    Pistorius was also given a three-year suspended sentence on a separate gun charge.

    A member of Pistorius's legal team claimed after the hearing that he is expected to serve a sixth of the sentence – around 10 months – in jail before being held under house arrest.

    The family of slain model Reeva Steenkamp welcomed the sentencing.

    Steenkamp's ailing father Barry said he was "very glad" the seven-month trial is over and a lawyer for the family said the sentence was "welcome".

    Masipa said she wanted to find a balance between retribution, deterrence and rehabilitation, dismissing defence claims that the disabled athlete would face particular suffering in prison.

    "It would be a sad day for this country if an impression were to be created that there was one law for the poor and disadvantaged and another for the rich and famous," said Masipa.

    She also weighed his ability to cope with incarceration given his physical disability.

    "Yes the accused is vulnerable, but he also has excellent coping skills," she said.

    Discussing the gravity of Pistorius's crime, the judge said he had been responsible of "gross negligence".

    "Using a lethal weapon, a loaded firearm, the accused fired not one, but four shots into the door," said Masipa.

    "The toilet was a small cubicle and there was no room for escape for the person behind the door," she said.

    The double amputee sprinter was acquitted of the more serious charge of murder over Reeva Steenkamp's death on Valentine's Day last year.

    The prosecution has called for 10 years in jail. The defence pleaded for house arrest and community service.

    Pistorius testified that he shot Steenkamp, a 29-year-old law graduate and model, four times through a locked bathroom door at his upmarket Pretoria home after he mistakenly believed she was an intruder.

    His lawyers, arguing that Pistorius would be more vulnerable than most in prison because of his disability, had argued against jail time, and called instead for the equivalent of house arrest and community service.

    Prosecutor Gerrie Nel said such a sentence would be "shockingly inappropriate" and could cause South Africans to lose faith in their legal system.

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