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Oscar Pistorius sentenced to six years in prison

Following a sentencing hearing in Pretoria, Judge Thokozile Masipa sentenced Oscar Pistorius to six years in prison for murder.

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Oscar Pistorius has been sentenced to six years in prison for the murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

The Olympic and Paralympic athlete discovered his fate on Wednesday, Judge Thokozile Masipa delivering her verdict following a sentencing hearing in Pretoria.

Pistorius, who claimed he thought Ms Steenkamp was an intruder when he shot her dead through a bathroom door at his home in 2013, was originally sentenced to five years imprisonment in October 2014 and subsequently released on house arrest 12 months later.

However, his initial conviction of culpable homicide was upgraded to murder last December by South Africa's Supreme Court of Appeal.

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The minimum sentence for murder in South Africa is 15 years, but Judge Masipa had discretion to impose a shorter term.

"I take the view that mitigating circumstances outweigh the aggravating factors," said Masipa, who highlighted double amputee Pistorius' vulnerability without his prosthetic legs.

"I find that there are compelling and exceptional circumstances to deviate from the prescribed sentence of 15 years."

Masipa also cited a public apology made by Pistorius and several attempts from the accused to try and meet Ms Steenkamp's parents, none of which were successful.

She added: "A long term of imprisonment will not serve justice in this matter. The accused has already served 12 months, he is a first offender and he is not likely to re-offend."

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