CONVICTED murderer Oscar Pistorius is set to be released from prison in just weeks after serving more than half of his 13-year sentence for murdering his girlfriend.
The mother of Reeva Steenkamp today slammed the disgraced Paralympian when she revealed her husband had died of a broken heart just weeks before the killer’s parole hearing.
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Convicted murderer Oscar Pistorius is due to be released on January 5 after killing girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp more than 10 years ago
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Pistorious was jailed for the murder of Reeva Steenkamp (pictured) after he shot her in the early hours of Valentine’s Day 2013.
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June Steenkamp, Reeva’s mother, said her husband Barry died just weeks ago ‘of a broken heart’
Pistorius today made a brazen second bid for freedom after murdering model Reeva in 2013.
The former sprinter, now 37, will be released from a South African prison on January 5 after serving more than half of his 13-year-five-month sentence.
A court statement today described Pistorius as a “first offender with a positive support system”, announcing the parole board’s decision to release him.
A prison spokesman said: “Parole does not mean the end of the sentence. It is still part of the sentence.
“It just means that the inmate will serve his sentence outside of a correctional facility.”
Parole is expected to last until December 5, 2029, and he will be subject to conditions until then.
He is reportedly expected to spend his parole at his uncle’s mansion in an affluent area of South Africa, Sky News reports.
Celebrity model Reeva (29) was killed by four bullets fired through a locked bathroom door in the early hours of Valentine’s Day 2013.
He shot her in the head, hip and arm, and later claimed in court that he only realized she was inside when he broke down the bathroom door.
He has always maintained the shooting was a mistake, saying he thought it was an intruder, and the highly publicized case drew global attention.
After a series of appeals and court challenges, Pistorius – nicknamed the “Blade Runner” for his carbon fiber prosthetic legs – was jailed in 2016.
A parole hearing was held today at Atteridgeville Prison, just outside Pretoria, where Pistorious was living when he killed Reeva.
Reeva’s mother, June, reportedly did not oppose parole and did not attend the hearing today, reports the BBC.
Her father Barry died in September and June told the parole board today that she believed he died of a broken heart after grieving the loss of his daughter.
Reeva’s parents strongly opposed the killer’s release before his latest release in March, but they had no power to stop it.
Today, June told the court in a victim impact statement: “I have no doubt that Barry died of a broken heart.
“No parent should bury a child, and certainly not in the circumstances that prevailed after Reeva’s death.
“I don’t believe Oscar’s version that he thought the person in the toilet was a burglar. In fact, I don’t know anyone who does.”
THE MURDER OF REEV STEENKAMP AND THE TRIAL OF OSCAR PISTORIUS
FEBRUARY 2013
Oscar Pistorius killed his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp at home on Valentine’s Day
SEPTEMBER 2014
Pistorius was convicted of premeditated murder and sentenced to five years in prison – later released on parole
DECEMBER 2015
The Supreme Court of Appeal overturns the verdict of the lower judge and finds him guilty of murder
JULY 2016
He was jailed for six years in a sentence described as ‘shockingly lenient’
NOVEMBER 2017
The Supreme Court of Appeal extended Pistorius’ sentence for murder to 13 years and five months
JUNE 2022
Pistorius meets Rita Steenkamp’s father as part of the victim-perpetrator program
MARCH 2023
He was denied parole after serving almost half of his 13-year sentence
NOVEMBER 2023
The court agreed to release Pistorius on parole on January 5, 2024
Reeve’s brother Adam Steenkamp last night called for Pistorious to be kept behind bars to complete his sentence.
He told MailOnline: “I already thought the original sentence was light on its own.
“I support and understand the reasons why someone gets parole, but this is about my sister and I would prefer that she serve the sentence that she got.”
Judges in South Africa have previously admitted they failed to fully reverse Pistorious’ prison sentence when he was first convicted.
This meant the 506 days he had already served were not included – and as a result he was eligible for parole in March this year instead of at the end of 2024.
Pistorius was denied parole during a closed-door hearing in late March and was set to face another seven years behind bars.
Tania Koen, a lawyer representing Reeva’s family, said at the time that the result was a “huge sense of relief” for mum June, who attended the hearing.
As part of his rehabilitation, Pistorius met June and Barry in 2022.
Barry revealed that the runner was “crying like a baby” as he tried to explain his actions and refused to accept that he was the killer.
In South Africa, offenders are automatically eligible for parole after serving half of their sentence.
Pistorious has now served more than half of his sentence, 13 years and five months.
The Department of Corrections has previously said a parole board will decide on November 24 whether Pistorius is “fit or not for social integration”.
They would consider his conviction, his behavior while behind bars and any risk he might pose to the public before making a decision.
However, when the former athlete is released on parole, he will be under tight police protection for fear of revenge attacks, MailOnline reported.
He was originally sentenced to six years in prison for Reeva’s murder – but the sentence was doubled after the state complained that the sentence was too lenient.
Speaking to The Sun on the tenth anniversary of the killing in February this year, Reeve’s brother, Adam, said the sportsman should not be allowed an early release from prison and must serve his full sentence.
He also fears that their family will never know the truth about what happened to Reeva when she was murdered in 2013.
“I absolutely stand by his position that Oscar is unrepentant and obviously still does not take responsibility for my sister’s murder and that he should continue to serve his sentence,” he said.
Adam paid tribute to his “wonderful” sister and said his family would “never come to terms” with her death.
“I miss him every day. What happened that morning ten years ago had a devastating effect on everyone,” he said.
In 2012, Pistorius became the first double amputee to compete in the Olympics, and in the same year he won two gold medals in the Paralympics.
Famous around the world, his relationship with model and law graduate Reeva caught the attention of the masses.
When he killed her on Valentine’s Day 2013 – the world was shocked.
In 2014, he was charged with manslaughter, the South African equivalent of manslaughter, and received a five-year prison sentence.
In 2015, after he was released to house arrest in his uncle’s house, the Supreme Court overturned the verdict and found him guilty of murder.
Pistorius was then returned to prison for a six-year sentence – which critics called “shockingly lenient”.
The sentence was increased to 13 years and five months, and Pistorius tried to apply for parole during his time in prison, until today, when his release date was set for January 5.
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Oscar Pistorius was a gold medalist paralympian nicknamed ‘blade runner’ before the brutal murder of Reeve
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Rob Matthews, spokesman for Reeva Steenkamp’s mother June, speaks to reporters outside Atteridgeville Prison in Pretoria todayCredit: AFP
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Reeva, a model, was killed at the age of 29 Credit: Getty – Contributor
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