Oscar Pistorius's Sentence For Murdering His Girlfriend Is Doubled To More Than 13 Years

A South African appeals court has today increased the Paralympic athlete's jail sentence for the 2013 murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp from six years to 13 years and 5 months. Pistorius, 31, (pictured in 2016) shot and killed Reeva Steenkamp in the early hours of Valentine's Day in 2013 when he fired four times through the door of his bedroom toilet. The shamed 'Blade Runner' now faces a return to a maximum security jail dominated by violent gangs, where he previously served a year in fear for his life.



The shamed 'Blade Runner' now faces a return to a maximum security jail dominated by violent gangs, where he previously served a year in fear for his life.
Supreme Court of Appeal judges were 'unanimous' in sentencing Pistorius to South Africa's minimum 15 years for murder, ruling Pistorius' six year punishment sentence for killing Reeva Steenkamp had been 'inappropriate', Judge Willie Seriti said.

The time he has already served behind bars will be deducted from that punishment, so the effective sentence is 13 years. 

Reeva Steenkamp’s sister broke down and sobbed after MailOnline broke the news to her of Oscar Pistorius’s doubled jail term for her murder.

Simone Cowburn said: 'Oh my God...is this true? But it is what he deserved. He took my sister’s life and he should get life in prison.

‘This isn’t going to bring Reeva back. Nothing will, but he needs to understand what he has done.’  

Ms Cowburn added: ‘Nobody except Oscar knows what happened that night.

‘But we know the last three bullets were meant to kill her and for that he needs to serve a long time in jail.'

Simone, who was Reeva’s step sister added: ‘This has torn apart my family and we will never be the same without Reeva. I’ll never be able to forgive him for what he did.’

The Steenkamp family spokesperson earlier said they welcomed the increased sentence and said it showed that justice could prevail in South Africa.

'This is an emotional thing for them. They just feel that their trust in the justice system has been confirmed this morning,' Tania Koen said. 

Pistorius' family have yet to make an official statement, but his brother Carl tweeted: ''Shattered. Heartbroken. Gutted.'

Today's finding was the second time the appeal judges have overruled Judge Thokozile Masipa, who presided over Pistorius' murder trial and originally cleared the disgraced sprinter of murder.

In a damning written ruling, the appeal court was scathing of Pistorius, finding that he had failed to be frank at his trial, and subsequent appeal, or show genuine remorse for taking his lover’s life.

Via - Dailymail