Oscar Pistorius given five years in prison

South African athlete Oscar Pistorius has been given five years in
jail for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

Judge Thokozile Masipa also gave Pistorius a three-year
suspended sentence for a firearms charge.

The parents of Reeva Steenkamp told the BBC they were happy with
the sentence and relieved the case was over. The defence said it
expected Pistorius to serve about 10 months in prison.

Pistorius was convicted of culpable homicide but cleared of
murder.
Prosecutors had called for a minimum 10-year term, and the
defence had argued for community service and house arrest.

Source: bbcnews.com

Oscar Pistorius’ trial: The athlete ‘has no money’

The sentencing hearing of Oscar Pistorius has heard that the South
African athlete has no money left, as both sides’ final arguments
were made.

Defence lawyer Barry Roux said Pistorius was both “broke and
broken” after the seven-month trial.

Pistorius was convicted of culpable homicide last month after
shooting dead his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp last year, but was
cleared of murder.

Judge Thokozile Masipa is expected to deliver the sentence on
Tuesday.

There is no legal limit on the length of a jail term, but the
prosecution has argued for a minimum of 10 years.
Experts say the typical maximum sentence for the crime is around
15 years.

Pistorius’ defence team has argued for him to be given community
service and house arrest, a suggestion the prosecution said would
be “shockingly disproportionate”.

(Source: bbcnews.com)