Double-amputee Olympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius was sentenced today to six years in jail for murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in 2013.
Pistorius arrived for court today looking anxious but healthier than during the hearings last month. He hugged members of his legal team and his family. The relatives of the former athlete and those of his victim filled a bench along the front of the courtroom.
In an hour-long judgment, Judge Masipa said evidence she had heard convinced her Pistorius was “not a violent person”, was unlikely to reoffend and had showed remorse. The judge said she had to balance the interests of society, the accused and relatives of the victim.
Pistorius, she said, was “a fallen hero, who has lost his career, and been ruined financially. He cannot be at peace.”
She also stressed that a court should not be swayed by public opinion but that punishment must also reflect the seriousness of the offence. It should be “unpleasant, uncomfortable and painful”.
The 29-year-old former athlete showed little emotion, but looked relieved. His family made no immediate statement.
The sentence was much lower than many had expected. Public prosecutors had demanded the mandatory minimum for murder of 15 years. An appeal from Pistorius is considered unlikely, though public prosecutors may decide to challenge the sentence.
However, supporters of the Steenkamps said:
The law has run its course.
Doup De Bruyn, a lawyer who has represented the family, said:
“There is nothing [the family] can do about the sentence. Nothing will bring Reeva back. The best thing to do is to maintain a dignified silence.”