Pistorius formally charged with premeditated murder

Oscar Pistorius has been formally charged with the premeditated murder of his girlfriend.

The Paralympian sat sobbing in the dock in Pretoria as prosecutor Gerrie Nel told the court Pistorius got out of bed, put on his prosthetic legs and walked seven metres from the bedroom towards the bathroom and shot 29-year-old Reeva Steenkamp several times through the door.

Nel insisted the killing was premeditated because Pistorius had planned to say he thought he was shooting an intruder. He said: "It was all part of the pre-planning. Why would a burglar lock himself inside the bathroom?"

Steenkamp’s death, in the early hours of Valentine’s Day last week, has stunned South Africa and the wider sporting world and left the Paralympic champion’s golden boy reputation in tatters.

His defence lawyer Barry Roux, however, insists they will vigorously deny the charges of murder and claims it was an accidental shooting.

Roux said: "We submit it is not even murder. There is no concession this is a murder."

In arguing that Pistorius should be freed on bail, he said there were no other charges outstanding against the 26-year-old who last year became the first double-amputee track athlete to run at the Olympics.

Legal experts believe it could take months for the case to be tried.