Oscar Pistorius denied parole over killing of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp

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The South African former athlete Oscar Pistorius has been denied parole over the killing of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp 10 years ago.

Pistorius killed Steenkamp, a model and law graduate, when he fired four times through the bathroom door of his high-security house in February 2013. The parole board’s decision was taken at a hearing at the correctional facility on the outskirts of the capital, Pretoria, where the 36-year-old is being held.

The Department of Correctional Services said the parole board found Pistorius had not completed the minimum detention period required to be let out. “We were … advised at this point in time that it has been denied and it will be considered again in one year’s time,” Tania Koen, a lawyer for the victim’s family, told AFP.

Steenkamp’s parents, June and Barry, had opposed an early release, saying they did not believe the former athlete had told the truth about what happened and he had not shown remorse.

“While we welcome today’s decision, today is not a cause for celebration. We miss Reeva terribly and will do so for the rest of our lives. We believe in justice and hope that it continues to prevail,” they said in a statement via their lawyer.

Pistorius was found guilty of murder and given a 13-year jail sentence in 2017 after a lengthy trial and several appeals. State prosecutors accused him of deliberately killing Steenkamp in a fit of jealousy and anger. The athlete, who frequently broke down in court, denied the accusation, saying he was deeply in love with her and believed he was protecting her when he shot through the toilet door because he thought an intruder was hiding there.

The trial judge found there was no evidence Pistorius had wanted to kill Steenkamp and found him guilty in 2014 of the lesser crime of culpable homicide, as he had acted “too hastily and used excessive force”.

The decision caused an outcry among women’s rights and other groups, and the athlete was later convicted of murder after an appeal by prosecutors. His sentence was increased to 13 years behind bars.

Offenders in South Africa are automatically eligible for parole consideration after serving half of their sentence. Pistorius has served more than half, having started his term in 2014. The parole board will consider a new application in August 2024.

Pistorius won global fame and fortune when he reached the semi-finals of the 400m at the 2012 Olympics. A double amputee below the knee from 11 months old, he inspired millions around the world with his determination to reach the highest levels of sport. Known as the Blade Runner because of his carbon-fibre prosthetics, his success attracted lucrative endorsement contracts and sponsorship deals.

As part of his rehabilitation, Pistorius met Steenkamp’s parents last year in a process that authorities said aimed to ensure inmates “acknowledge the harm they have caused to their victims and the society at large”. The Steenkamps earlier called for their daughter’s murderer to remain in prison for the rest of his life.

People around the world followed the trial of Pistorius in 2014. Almost every minute of more than 40 days was broadcast live and amplified by social media.

The dramatic and emotional trial revealed a darker side to Pistorius: a taste for fast cars and guns, and a short temper. On the final day of the sentencing in 2017, Pistorius dramatically removed his prosthetics to hobble on his stumps across the courtroom, to demonstrate his physical vulnerability.

His defence lawyers argued that although he appeared to be an “Olympian superman”, the athlete was a deeply anxious person.

In South Africa, interest in the killing and its aftermath bordered on the obsessive. The murder was seen as holding a mirror to the country, more than 20 years after the end of apartheid and the coming of democracy, at a time of widespread disillusionment.