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Oscar Pistorius sentencing live: Athlete sentenced to five years in prison over culpable homicide of Reeva Steenkamp | |
(35 minutes later) | |
Oscar Pistorius has today been sentenced to five years in prison for the death of Reeva Steenkamp, as his seven month trial finally came to a conclusion. | |
The South African athlete was sentenced at Pretoria’s High Court for the killing of his girlfriend Ms Steenkamp, after being cleared of murder but convicted of culpable homicide. | |
There is no minimum sentence for culpable homicide, which left Judge Thokozile Masipa to decide independently what punishment the Paralympian should receive for negligently killing Ms Steenkamp. | |
In her sentencing, Judge Masipa ruled a non-custodial sentence would send the wrong sentence to the community, but a long sentence would not be appropriate because it would appear to lack mercy. | |
Prosecutors had said Pistorius should serve at least ten years in jail, while his defence counsel have called for a community sentence or house arrest. | |
However, Pistorius defence suggested the athlete would be under particular duress due to his disability and fragile mental state in a South African prison. | |
Judge Masipa also sentenced the athlete to an additional three years in prison, wholly suspended, the second count of a firearm contravention. | |
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