Oscar Pistorius has been sentenced to six years in prison for the murder of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
Pistorius stood and faced Judge Thokozile Masipa as she announced the sentence in a Pretoria courtroom.
He was facing a possible 15-year jail term for shooting Steenkamp through a toilet cubicle door at his home in 2013, but Judge Masipa said substantial and compelling circumstances existed to give him a lesser sentence.
Steenkamp’s parents, Barry and June, were in the courtroom, which was packed with relatives of both Pistorius and Steenkamp and other observers.
In reading out the sentence, Judge Masipa said Pistorius was a “fallen hero”.
The judge ordered a recess to give prosecutors and Pistorius’s defence lawyers time to decide if either wanted to appeal against the sentence.
Judge Thokozile Masipa, who oversaw the original trial which led to the manslaughter conviction, opted not to impose the maximum sentence.
In addressing Pistorius, the double amputee who competed at the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics, she said: “Although a custodial sentence is a proper sentence, I am of a view that a long term of imprisonment will not serve justice in this matter.
“The accused has already served a sentence of 12 months’ imprisonment, he is a first offender and, considering the facts of this matter, he is not likely to reoffend.”
Judge Masipa then announced the sentence, which will see Pistorius likely serve three more years in jail.
