Pistorius right to appeal murder conviction denied

The Constitutional Court in South Africa has denied Oscar Pistorius the right to appeal against his conviction for the murder of Reeva Steenkamp.

Pistorius, a six-time Paralympic gold medallist, was initially charged with culpable homicide and given a five-year jail term after firing shots through a bathroom door in his apartment, killing then-girlfriend Steenkamp in February 2013.

Pistorius was released on house arrest last October after serving one fifth of his sentence, but in December, South Africa's Supreme Court of Appeal ruled his initial conviction should be changed to murder - which carries a minimum jail sentence of 15 years.

In January, Pistorius' legal team applied to the Constitutional Court to appeal against the charge of murder, but on Thursday it was announced that their right to such an appeal had been denied.

The National Prosecuting Authority in South Africa said the Constitutional Court found "no prospect of success" in the appeal of Pistorius.

Pistorius, who has claimed throughout the case that he believed he was shooting an intruder, remains under house arrest.

He is now due to be sentenced on April 18.