Oscar Pistorius: Former athlete ‘will not be released early from prison’ after killing Reeva Steenkamp

Oscar Pistorius will not be released from his 13 year and five month jail sentence early after killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, a parole board has decided today (March 31). Pistorius, a former Paralympic athlete also known as the Blade Runner, had applied for parole after serving half of the jail term.

The hearing took place at Atteridgeville prison, a low-security facility in rolling fields just outside the city of Pretoria, South Africa. Ahead of the hearing, Reeva Steenkamp’s mother said Pistorius was “not remorseful or rehabilitated”.

Pistorius, now 36, was convicted of murdering Ms Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day in 2013. He continues to maintain that he shot her by mistake, believing she was a robber.

The trial of the Blade Runner attracted global attention and culminated in Pistorius being handed a 13.5 year prison sentence in 2016. Prosecutors described the sentence length as “shockingly lenient” at the time.

It is understood that the parole board will consider Pistorius’ parole again a year from now. He could still go to court to argue that having served more than half of his sentence, South African law stipulated he should be released under supervision.