Oscar Pistorius’ murder sentence more than doubled

Last updated: 24 November 2017, 11:28 am

Oscar Pistorius' prison sentence was increased to 13 years and five months by South Africa's Supreme Court of Appeal this morning.

The decision more than doubled the Olympic runner's jail term for the murder of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

In an announcement that took a matter of minutes, Supreme Court Justice Willie Seriti said the Supreme Court upheld an appeal by prosecutors against Pistorius' original six-year sentence for shooting Steenkamp multiple times in his home in 2013.

The Supreme Court said that Pistorius "displays a lack of remorse, and does not appreciate the gravity of his actions."

Prosecutors had called that six-year sentence "shockingly" lenient.

It's rare for the Supreme Court to change the sentences handed down by trial judges so dramatically.

"I did not expect the Supreme Court of Appeal to hand down such a lengthy sentence of imprisonment," legal analyst Ulrich Roux said on the eNCA news channel.

Pistorius' lawyers have just one avenue open to them if they want to challenge the new sentence handed down by the Supreme Court, and that is to appeal to the Constitutional Court, the highest court in South Africa.

Pistorius' brother, Carl, wrote on Twitter: "Shattered. Heartbroken. Gutted."