Oscar
Pistorius was dramatically jailed for five years today for killing his
model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp - but could spend as little as ten
months behind bars.
The
disgraced Paralympian wiped his eyes as he was handed a five-year
prison term after the judge ruled that a non-custodial sentence would
send the 'wrong message to the community'.
As
he was led down to the cells, Miss Steenkamp's mother, June, smiled as
she felt a sense of 'closure' at the sentence after a seventh-month
trial, but said it 'would not magic Reeva back.'
The
model's ailing father, who suffered a stroke after his daughter's
death, said he was 'very glad' the trial was over, while a lawyer for
the family said the sentence was 'welcome'.
The
athlete was found guilty of culpable homicide, which is comparable to
manslaughter, but was acquitted of murder after shooting Miss Steenkamp
four times through a toilet cubicle door in his home.
As he was jailed, his sister Aimee briefly covered her head with a jacket and looked distressed.
There
was little reaction from the Pistorius family and the athlete himself
sat red-faced in the dock before the judge adjourned the proceedings and
he was led down stairs to the cells.
According
to legal observers, Pistorius could spend only ten months in jail and,
provided he poses no trouble to the prison authorities, could spend the
remainder of his sentence under correctional supervision at home.
Scroll down for video
In the dock: Oscar Pistorius listens
to the judge's summing up before handing down her sentence for killing
his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp at his home in Pretoria last month
Prosecutors demanded at least 10 years in prison for the double-amputee athlete for killing Miss Steenkamp
According
to the Act under which Pistorius was sentenced, he must spend at least
one-sixth of his sentence before he can apply for leave to serve the
rest under 'correctional supervision'.
It
seemed the athlete had prepared himself to spend some time behind bars
and appeared very accepting of the sentence. Arnold Pistorius, the head
of the large family, said there would be no appeal against the sentence.
Du du Bruyn said the Steenkamps were 'satisfied' with the result.
June Steenkamp told reporters she felt a sense of 'closure' at the judge's sentence, but said it 'would not magic Reeva back.'
Pistorius
testified during his murder trial that he mistook Miss Steenkamp for a
dangerous night-time intruder about to come out of the cubicle and
attack him when he opened fire with his 9mm pistol.
Judge
Masipa last month ruled that Pistorius did not intend to kill Miss
Steenkamp, but he acted negligently and with excessive force in the
Valentine's Day 2013 killing.
Prosecutors had demanded at least 10 years in prison for the double-amputee athlete.
His
defense lawyers argued that three years of correctional supervision,
with periods of house arrest and community service, would be
appropriate.
Judge Masipa began her summing up today by saying the decision on sentencing 'is mine - and mine alone'.
She told the court: 'Sentencing is about achieving the right balance. Sentencing is not a perfect exercise.'
She
also said that prison would have 'no problems' catering for his
disability if he was jailed, adding that a pregnant woman may be
classified as vulnerable but would not necessarily avoid prison.
She
also said it would be a 'sad day' for South Africa if there was a
perception that it had one law for the rich and another for the poor.
She added: 'Nothing I do or say can reverse what happened to the deceased or her family.'
Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius makes his way past a bunch of roses as he enters the High Court
She
also said it would be a 'sad day' for South Africa if there was a
perception that it had one law for the rich and another for the poor.
She added: 'Nothing I do or say can reverse what happened to the deceased or her family.'
Pistorius
testified during his murder trial that he mistook Miss Steenkamp for a
dangerous nighttime intruder about to come out of the cubicle and attack
him when he shot four times through the door with his 9mm pistol.
Judge
Masipa last month ruled that Pistorius did not intend to kill Miss
Steenkamp, but he acted negligently and with excessive force in the
Valentine's Day 2013 killing.
He
was also convicted of unlawfully firing a gun in a restaurant weeks
before Steenkamp's death. That normally carries a fine for a first
offense, but has a maximum of five years in prison.
Prosecutors have demanded at least 10 years in prison for the double-amputee athlete.
His
defense lawyers have suggested that three years of correctional
supervision, with periods of house arrest and community service, would
be appropriate.
Pistorius was escorted through crowds of onlookers and into the courthouse by police officers wearing blue berets.
The
parents of Miss Steenkamp, the woman he shot multiple times through a
toilet cubicle door in his home on February 14 last year were also in
court to hear the sentence.
The courtroom was packed, reflecting heightened media and public interest ahead of the sentencing.
Police officers stood guard in the aisles.
Before proceedings started, Dr Lore Hartzenberg, a psychologist, held Pistorius's hand and spoke softly to him.
He
had given evidence for the defence that Pistorius was a 'broken man'
after killing his girlfriend and had suffered emotionally and
financially.
A Pistorius supporter laid three white roses near the athlete.
'I
just wanted to bestow a little bit of inner happiness on Oscar,' said
the supporter, who added that she thought he had lost a lot of
self-respect.
Outside
the courthouse, a man in orange clothing carried chains and a large
sign that read: 'Are certain offenders more equal than other offenders
before the law?'
Strain: Reeva Steenkamp's parents,
June and Barry Steenkamp (back centre), listen to the judge summary of
the case before she hands down sentence to Oscar Pistorius for killing
their daughter
Fate in her hands: Judge Thokozile Masipa found Pistorius guilty of manslaughter but acquitted him of murder
Masipa
has a wide range of options available to her at the climax of the trial
because there is no minimum sentence for culpable homicide.
Pistorius,
27, could serve no jail time, and possibly consider returning to the
career that made him one of the world's most recognizable runners on his
carbon-fibre running blades, and the first amputee to compete on the
track at the Olympics in 2012.
He
could be placed under house arrest, or he could be sent to prison for
up to 15 years, almost certainly ending his running days.
Pistorius's
brother and sister, Carl and Aimee, gave interviews to a South African
television station on the eve of the sentencing, describing what they
said was a difficult and emotional time in the more than a
year-and-a-half since their brother killed Miss Steenkamp.
Reeva Steenkamp's parents, Barry and June Steenkamp, arrive at the High Court for the final day of sentencing
Support: Oscar Pistorius's uncle Arnold and aunt Lois arrive at the High Court for the final day of the sentencing
Judgement day: Oscar Pistorius arrives at court to be sentenced for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp
'It has been a long journey to this point,' Aimee Pistorius told eNCA.
'A
very taxing one. It is difficult to support someone through something
like this - all the guilt and ridicule and obviously the exposure that
has come with it.'
Carl Pistorius said: 'Tomorrow will be very difficult. This is a weight we all have to carry.'
During
his sentencing hearing last week, Pistorius's chief defense lawyer
called social workers and a psychologist who testified that the athlete
had suffered significantly already, both emotionally and financially.
'He's not only broke, but he's broken,' chief defense lawyer Barry Roux said of Pistorius. 'There is nothing left of this man.'
Pistorius's
defense team also argued that South African prisons cannot cater for
his disability and he would be vulnerable. Roux even cited an alleged
threat against Pistorius by a reputed prison gang leader.
Pistorius testified during his murder
trial that he mistook Miss Steenkamp (above) for a dangerous intruder
about to come out of the cubicle and attack him when he shot four times
through the door with his 9mm pistol
Source: dailymail
0 Comments:
Post a Comment