Dates Set For Pistorius Murder Sentence

Five days are set aside for the sentencing of the 29-year-old athlete who faces a minimum of 15 years behind bars.

09:42, UK, Monday 18 April 2016

Oscar Pistorius will be sentenced for a second time in June

• Share on Twitter
• Share on Facebook
• Share on Google+
• Share by email

A court in South Africa has finalised the dates for the sentencing of former Olympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius for murder.

The sentencing will begin on 13 June and will be heard until 17 June, High Court Judge Aubrey Ledwaba said.
The disgraced Olympic and Paralympic gold medallist made a brief appearance in court to hear the judge's decision.
He faces a minimum of 15 years behind bars for the killing of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in 2013.
The 29-year-old was originally sentenced to five years in prison for the lesser charge of "culpable homicide" - South Africa's equivalent of manslaughter.

1/6

1. 
2. 
   Gallery: Reeva Steenkamp's Life In Pictures
3. 
4. 
5. 
7. 
8. 
   Gallery: Reeva Steenkamp's Life In Pictures

In December, however, the Supreme Court upgraded the "culpable homicide" conviction to murder after ruling the original trial judge had made a "fundamentally flawed" judgement.
Three months later, the country's top court rejected his right to appeal against his murder conviction.
Pistorius shot Ms Steenkamp at his home in Pretoria on Valentine's Day 2013.

Video: March: Pistorius' Appeal Thrown Out

During his trial he maintained he fired out of fear for his life after believing an intruder was in his property, however the prosecution said he shot Ms Steenkamp after an argument.
The judges who upgraded his conviction argued that he should have known death was inevitable after he fired through the toilet door four times, leaving Ms Steenkamp with "nowhere to hide".
Pistorius served less than a year of his original five-year jail term after he was freed to live under house arrest at his uncle's property in October.