Oscar Pistorius has been sentenced to six years in prison for the murder of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in 2013.
The former Paralympian athlete had his initial manslaughter conviction upgraded to murder on appeal. He has already served 12 months of the original five-year prison sentence, and until today’s trial was being held under house arrest at his uncle’s mansion.
Pistorius arrived in court facing a minimum term of 15 years behind bars, but Judge Thokozile Masipa, who heard the original trial, referred to “substantial and compelling circumstances” for reducing the sentence that outweighed the aggravating factors.
This is the moment Pistorius was sentenced.
WATCH: Oscar Pistorius sentenced to six years in prison for murder. #SSNHQ https://t.co/GYjbYkQplC
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) July 6, 2016
Acknowledging the aggravating factors, Masipa told the court:
“The accused used a lethal weapon and fired not one but four shots into the toilet door knowing full well that there was someone behind the door. The toilet was a small cubicle and there was no room for escape for the person behind the door. The accused had been trained in the use of and handling of fire arms.”
#Pistorius Reeva's family looks stunned at the fact that OP received only six years in jail for killing her
— Debora Patta (@Debora_Patta) July 6, 2016
She continued by recounting the mitigating factors that she believed justified a reduced sentence of six years. According to the judge, Pistorius “approached the bathroom in the belief an intruder was inside. He was without his prosthesis and felt vulnerable. His belief of an intruder is supported by his actions when he realised it was the deceased in the toilet.
