THE East Lancashire mother of Reeva Steenkamp, who was shot dead by paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius, has said his five-year jail sentence represents justice.
June Steenkamp, who was born in Blackburn, spoke briefly to reporters as she left the South African court following the amputee athlete’s sentencing.
MORE TOP STORIES:
She was asked how she felt about suggestions that Pistorius, who is known as the Blade Runner, would not serve the full five years in prison.
Mrs Steenkamp said: “It doesn’t matter, he’s going to pay something.”
Asked if she thought justice had been served, she said: “Yes.”
Pistorius, 27, killed Ms Steenkamp, 29, in the early hours of February 14, 2013 when he shot her through the bathroom door at his home in Pretoria. He insisted he thought he was firing at an intruder.
Judge Thokozile Masipa handed down an immediate prison term for the charge of culpable homicide, saying she believed a non-custodial sentence would ‘send the wrong message to the community’.
He was also given three years suspended for five years for a firearms offence.
A member of Pistorius’s legal team claimed after the hearing that he is expected to serve a sixth of the sentence – around 10 months – in jail before being held under house arrest.
The courtroom was packed for the culmination of a case that has attracted intense scrutiny around the world. Interest was heightened by a ruling allowing some parts to be screened live on television.
Police officers stood guard in the aisles, while Ms Steenkamp's family watched from the public gallery.
After a summary of the evidence in the case and related legal issues, the judge said: “Having regard to the circumstances of the matter, I am of the view that a non-custodial sentence would send the wrong message to the community.
“On the other hand, a long sentence would also not be appropriate either as it would lack the element of mercy.”
Earlier in the hearing, the judge described Ms Steenkamp as ‘vivacious and full of life’. The court heard her parents June and Barry in particular were ‘not coping very well without their daughter’.
Judge Masipa said: “The loss of life cannot be reversed. Nothing I say or do today can reverse what happened on February 14 2013 to the deceased and to her family.
“Hopefully, this judgment on sentence shall provide some sort of closure for the family and all concerned so that they can move on with their lives.”
Earlier she said: “It would be a sad day for this country if an impression were to be created that there was one law for the poor and disadvantaged, and another for the rich and famous.”
She said that during the course of the trial she had a feeling of unease as she listened to ‘one witness after another’ place an ‘over-emphasis on the accused's vulnerability’.
The judge added that while Pistorius was vulnerable, he had ‘excellent coping skills’, and pointed out that he went on to compete against able-bodied athletes, but she said: "For some reason, that picture remains obscured in the background.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article