Murderer Oscar Pistorius was granted his freedom today after winning his bid for parole.
The Paralympian, who turned 37 this week, has repeatedly refused to admit he callously killed Reeva Steenkamp during an angry and violent outburst and has stuck to his claim that it was an accident.
His failure to come clean despite his murder conviction led Reeva’s grief-stricken mother to brand him ‘a liar who I hate so much’.
But whether Pistorius is a ruthless killer or made a terrible mistake on Valentine’s Day in 2013 was not a consideration for parole officers, who allowed him back into public life after hearing he had served more than six-and-a-half years in custody of his 13-year sentence.
But the ‘Blade Runner’, as he is known, will still have to spend Christmas behind bars as psychologists and welfare officers assess him before his release on January 5, 2024.
A representative of Reeva’s mother June Steenkamp said outside the hearing that Pistorius has to undergo community service and ‘therapy for gender-based violence’.
Rob Matthews, whose daughter Leigh was kidnapped and murdered in 2004 and is an anti-gender violence campaigner, and who sat beside Ms Steenkamp’s in-court lawyer Annade Theart-Hofmeyer, said: ‘The conditions are correctional supervision. He is required to attend therapy for anger issues.’
He added that Pistorius was not allowed to leave the Waterkloof district, where he will be staying with his uncle Arnold in a palatial mansion, and his parole will last until September 5, 2029.
Oscar Pistorius (pictured in the High Court in Pretoria, South Africa in 2014) has repeatedly refused to admit he killed Reeva Steenkamp and has stuck to his claim that it was an accident
Reeva Steenkamp was a 29-year-old South African model and socialite
Pistorius’ case and his parole eligibility had been complicated by appeals by prosecutors, who first challenged his culpable homicide conviction and then a sentence of six years for murder, which they called shockingly lenient. Pictured: Pistorius and Reeva Steenkamp at the Feather Awards in 2012
South Africa allows convicts to be considered for release when they have served half of their sentence and the parole officers were told there had been a blunder in calculating the actual time the killer had served. Pictured: Reeva Steenkamp
The Paralympian won gold in the 4x100m at the London Paralympics 2012
His failure to come clean despite his murder conviction led Reeva’s grief-stricken mother June to brand him ‘a liar who I hate so much’
Department of Corrections spokesman Singabakho Nxumalo told reporters: ‘Parole does not mean the end of the sentence. It is still part of the sentence.
‘It only means the inmate will complete the sentence outside a correctional facility.’
Asked by if the sentence might appear soft to the world, Mr Matthews said: ‘If those are the rules then we need to question the rules not those who have interpreted the rules.
‘If the rules are too lenient, then that is what we should address.’
Pistorius was brought from his cell at 8am at the 84-year-old Atteridgeville Prison in Pretoria to hear his fate and was said to be ‘confident’ as he entered the room, after his previous appearance before them in March had been rejected.
Today his legal team, led by Conrad Dormehl, argued that he had served sufficient time and that there had been official blunders on time served on his tariff.
Reeva’s mother Mrs Steenkamp refused to attend the hearing, saying in a statement that was read out by Mr Matthews: ‘I simply cannot muster the energy to face him again at this stage.
‘I do not believe Oscar’s version that he thought the person in the toilet was a burglar. In fact, I do not know anybody who does. My dearest child screamed for her life. I believe he knew it was Reeva.’
South Africa allows convicts to be considered for release when they have served half of their sentence and the parole officers were told there had been a blunder in calculating the actual time the killer had served.
It was claimed he was wrongly ruled ineligible for early release from prison when he last applied in March and that the lengthy legal cases surrounding him had led to an error.
The double-amputee athlete, who broke barriers by competing on carbon-fibre running blades at the 2012 London Olympics, shot Reeva multiple times through a closed toilet cubicle door in his home in the South African capital, Pretoria, in the predawn hours of Valentine’s Day in 2013.
His claim that he shot her in the belief that an intruder had entered his home while he slept was ultimately dismissed by Pretoria judges after he had been cleared of murder and found guilty of culpable homicide.
His conviction was upgraded to murder and he was ultimately sentenced to 13 years and five months in prison after a series of appeals by prosecutors.
Pistorius’ case and his parole eligibility had been complicated by appeals by prosecutors, who first challenged his culpable homicide conviction and then a sentence of six years for murder, which they called shockingly lenient.
The Supreme Court of Appeal eventually ruled in 2017 that Pistorius should serve South Africa’s minimum sentence of 15 years for murder, but took into account the year and seven months he had already served for culpable homicide when it delivered the 13 years and five months sentence.
However, the court made an error by not counting another period Pistorius had served while his murder sentence was being appealed, meaning he was in fact eligible for parole in March when he was told at his first hearing that he would only be eligible in August 2024.
The double-amputee athlete, who broke barriers by competing on carbon-fibre running blades at the 2012 London Olympics, shot Reeva multiple times through a closed toilet cubicle door
His claim that he shot Reeva in the belief that an intruder had entered his home while he slept, was ultimately dismissed by judges
His conviction was upgraded to murder and he was ultimately sentenced to 13 years and five months in prison after a series of appeals by prosecutors
Pistorius’ lawyers took his case to the country’s Constitutional Court. The decision to give Pistorius the parole hearing today was effectively an admission of the appeal court’s blunder and helped to set him free.
It is likely the athlete will return to live with his uncle Arnold in his mansion, set in one of the most exclusive suburbs of Pretoria where the detached houses are occupied by government ministers, millionaire businessmen and CEOs of Johannesburg’s biggest companies.
As if to welcome him home today, Christmas greetings and a giant crucifix were placed on the mansion for the deeply religious killer.
Pistorius was born with a congenital condition that led to his legs being amputated below the knee when he was a baby, but he took up track and won multiple Paralympic titles on his running blades.
He is the only double amputee to run at the Olympics and his London appearance resulted in huge fanfare.
Known as the ‘Blade Runner,’ he was at the height of his fame when he killed Reeva just months after the London Olympics.
Her mother told Mail Online: ‘I hate him. I want to hurt him. He is a liar and he murdered my daughter.’
Reeva’s father Barry passed away in September having fought a ten year battle to get Pistorius to admit his guilt.
Matthews said shortly after the parole hearing: ‘What’s really important in these parole processes is equal consideration is given to the input from the offender and input from the victims.
Rob Matthews, whose daughter Leigh was kidnapped and murdered in 2004 and is an anti-gender violence campaigner, is helping to represent June Steenkamp, Reeva’s mother
When asked if he believed Pistorius had served enough time behind bars, he said: It’s such a difficult question. We want to live in a country where there are rules and regulations that are evenly applied across the board without fear or favour’
‘I have to believe that the victim statement was definitely taken into considerations. I’m of the opinion that the parole board certainly listened to the statement.’
When asked if he believed Pistorius had served enough time behind bars, he said: ‘It’s such a difficult question. We want to live in a country where there are rules and regulations that are evenly applied across the board without fear or favour.
‘If those are the rules, and Pistorius has met the requirements, then so be it.’
Mr Matthews read a statement from Mrs Steenkamp to media outlets shortly before the hearing, which read: ‘I do not know to what extent this behaviour still exists or were evident during his time of incarceration, but I am concerned for the safety of any woman should this not have been addressed in his rehabilitation.
‘I do not know which rehabilitation programs were attended by Oscar while incarcerated, but I sincerely hope that his rehabilitation included psychotherapy to deal with his temper and abusive behaviour towards women.
‘I also hope that specialist criminologists were engaged to assist in compiling a psychological profile that would assist in determining his risk for recidivism. At this time, I am not convinced that Oscar has been rehabilitated.
‘Rehabilitation requires someone to engage honestly with the full truth of his crime and the consequences thereof. Nobody can claim to have remorse if they are not able to engage fully with the truth. If someone does not show remorse, they cannot be considered to be rehabilitated.
Pistorius, the disgraced former Olympian who murdered his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in 2013, was told today that he was allowed to leave prison in early January
Pistorius met Barry Steenkamp (left) last year shortly before he died. But Reeva’s father came away from the meeting dissatisfied and ’emotional’
‘If they are not rehabilitated, their risk of recidivism is high. I am informed that an inmate’s remorse and the extent to which they are rehabilitated are taken into consideration at the time of making a parole decision.
‘It is my earnest wish that no one should be subjected to gender-based violence. I hope that parole board panels will evaluate an inmate’s rehabilitation by considering his/her engagement with the truth in determining the presence or absence of remorse.
‘My dear Barry left this world utterly devastated by the thought that he had failed to protect his daughter and therefore in his role as father, as he perceived it.
‘The only hope he had left, was that Oscar would find it in himself to eventually tell the full truth. It is my hope that parole decisions treat the safety of women as the most important consideration by exercising their power judiciously.
‘The pain caused by the dastardly murder of Reeva, did not only include emotional trauma. It also included trauma that manifested physically as became evident in the accelerated deterioration in health for both Barry and myself.
‘When Reeva died, I was a “young” 67 and Barry 70-years-old. I can confirm that our lives were gravely impacted – physically, emotionally and financially.
‘Should it be decided that Oscar is sufficiently rehabilitated, it is my wish that the parole policies and procedures of the Department of Correctional Services be applied consistently in his release.’
Mrs Steenkamp’s lawyer Ms Theart-Hofmeyr presented the statement to the hearing.
How the ‘Blade Runner’ murderer came to fight for his freedom
1986
Oscar Pistorius is born without a fibula bone in either of his lower legs, which were both amputated below the knee when he was 11-months-old. Six months later he learned to walk on fibreglass pegs.
2003
Pistorius starts sprint training to help rehabilitate his knee after he injured it playing rugby.
2004
The athlete wins his first Paralympic gold medal as he races to victory in the Athens 200m. He also claimed a bronze medal in the 100m.
Oscar Pistorius starts in the men’s semi-finals of the 400m in London at the 2012 Olympics
2008
Pistorius wins three golds in Beijing – for the 100m, 200m and 400m, setting a world record.
In the same year he is banned from able-bodied competitions as the IAAF Council say his prosthetics give him an unfair advantage.
2012
He becomes the first double amputee to compete at Olympics, reaching the semi-finals. In the 4x400m relay, his team reaches the finals but does not pick up any medals.
In the same year, he goes on to win two golds in the Paralympics.
2013
February 14 – Pistorius arrested at his home in Pretoria after shooting dead girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
February 15 – Pistorius appears before the Pretoria Magistrates’ Court where he bursts into tears as prosecutors announce they intend to pursue a charge of premeditated murder.
Pistorius bursts into tears as he is charged, denying murder ‘in the strongest terms’.
February 19 – Reeva’s funeral is held in Port Elizabeth. Pistorius appears in court for the first day of his bail hearing. Prosecutor Gerrie Nel says Pistorius fired four shots through a bathroom door, hitting Reeva three times. His defence reads a statement by Pistorius in which he says he thought Reeva was an intruder.
Pistorius and Reeva Steenkamp arrive for an awards ceremony in Johannesburg, South Africa
February 21 – Global sportswear manufacturer Nike suspends its sponsorship contract with the athlete.
August 19 – The day on which Reeva would have turned 30, Pistorius appears in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court before magistrate Desmond Nair to have the state’s indictment served on him.
He is charged with premeditated murder and possession of unlicensed ammunition. The state publishes its list of 107 possible witnesses.
2014
February 14 – On the anniversary of Reeva’s death, Pistorius posts a tribute to her on his official website, saying: ‘No words can adequately capture my feelings about the devastating accident that has caused such heartache for everyone who truly loved – and continues to love Reeva.’
March 3 – Pistorius pleads not guilty in court to murder and three gun charges.
Later, neighbour Michelle Burger, the first witness called by the prosecution, tells the court she heard ‘blood-curdling’ screams before the sound of four gunshots on the night the Olympian killed his girlfriend.
March 10 – Pistorius vomits repeatedly in the dock as he hears graphic details of the injuries sustained by the girlfriend he fatally shot.
April 8 – Pistorius breaks down in tears and howls while describing how he shot girlfriend, forcing the court to adjourn.
April 9 – Giving evidence for a third day, Pistorius tells how his girlfriend ‘died while I was holding her’, describing how he put his fingers in her mouth to try to help her breathe and put his hand on her hip to try to stop bleeding from one of several gunshot wounds.
June 30 – After a month-long break, the murder trial resumes when mental health experts state Pistorius was not suffering from a mental illness when he killed Reeva.
Pistorius covers his eyes as the father of his late girlfriend testifies at the Pretoria High Court on June 14, 2016
September 12 – Pistorius found GUILTY of culpable homicide. Also found guilty on one firearm charge of firing a gun in a restaurant.
October 21 – Pistorius sentenced to a maximum of five years in prison, with a three-year suspended term for firearms offences.
2015
March 13 – A bid to block prosecutors from appealing verdict in favour of murder conviction is blocked.
October 20 – Pistorius is allowed out of prison after just one year to spend the remainder of his sentence under house arrest.
December 3 – The Supreme Court of Appeal convicts him of murder, saying his testimony was ‘vacillating and untruthful’.
December 8 – Pistorius is released on bail pending sentencing, and remains under house arrest.
2016
March 2 – Pistorius, now 29, loses his final bid to appeal his murder conviction.
July 6 – He is sentenced to six years in jail for murder.
August 14 – South African media reports say Pistorius is put on 24-hour suicide watch.
Pistorius leaves the high court in Pretoria, South Africa in 2016
September 15 – Prosecutors say they will petition the Supreme Court of Appeal for a tougher sentence for Pistorius, having described the six-year term as ‘shockingly lenient’.
November 14 – Prison authorities say Pistorius has been transferred to a prison adapted for disabled inmates just outside Pretoria to serve the rest of his sentence.
2017
November 3 – The appeal court adjourns to consider its ruling after prosecutors argue that Pistorius’s jail term is too short, while defence lawyers say the judge handed down a fair sentence.
November 24 – The Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein more than doubles Pistorius’s sentence of six years to 13 years and five months.
2018
March 28 – South Africa’s highest court rejects Pistorius’s leave to appeal, ending the long legal battle over the killing.
2021
November 29 – Prison services say Pistorius has been temporarily moved to a detention facility in the southern city of Gqeberha, formerly Port Elizabeth, as part of his parole process, having become eligible for early release a few months earlier, after serving half his sentence.
2022
July 1 – Prison services say Pistorius has met with Reeva’s parents as part of his rehabilitation process.
2023
March 31 – Pistorius is denied parole, with a South African judge ruling he has only served six years – less than the ‘minimum detention period’ required to qualify for early release.
November 24 – Pistorius’ second bid for freedom is successful, as he’s told he can leave prison in early January 2024.