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Version 1 Version 2
Oscar Pistorius returns to court for day two of sentencing hearing – live Oscar Pistorius sentencing: Barry Steenkamp testifies for prosecution – live
(35 minutes later)
9.29am BST
09:29
Steenkamp says he thinks of Reeva
Every day of my life – morning, noon, night … I think of her all the time.
He is in tears. Nel tells him he can stop at any time.
Steenkamp says the family has photos of Reeva “all over our house”. He talks to her every day.
He says people told him after two or three years he would start to feel a little better:
But every day of my life is the same.
9.28am BST
09:28
Steenkamp confirms he is the father of Reeva Steenkamp.
Nel asks him about evidence previously given in court by Kim Martin, his niece, with his blessing.
I couldn’t give evidence at the time, Steenkamp says:
I took a bad turn and I was advised by my doctor not to travel up to Pretoria.
Now, he says:
I must give evidence.
9.26am BST
09:26
Court resumes
Barry Steenkamp is sworn in as the first witness for the state in aggravation of sentence.
9.22am BST
09:22
Barry Steenkamp has taken his place in the witness box.
We are waiting for the judge to return.
9.10am BST
09:10
This will be a key moment in the hearing.
Barry Steenkamp has so far not spoken in court about the death of his daughter Reeva. He was unable to attend large stretches of the original trial because he was so unwell, and instead watched it unfold on television at home.
The Sunday Telegraph reported that Steenkamp wanted to take the stand, citing a source saying:
He is very fragile but he wants to do it. If he can, it will be very powerful and emotional testimony.
9.02am BST
09:02
Barry Steenkamp will testify for prosecution
Roux says he doesn’t know if he needs to call further witnesses because he doesn’t know the state witnesses and he might need to call someone to rebut.
For now he has no further witnesses.
Gerrie Nel says the state’s first witness will be Barry Steenkamp, the father of Reeva Steenkamp. He asks for another break to prepare the witness.
9.00am BST
09:00
Gerrie Nel asks Marius Nel how often he saw Pistorius in prison. The pastor says he was able to see him weekly.
Gerrie Nel has no further questions. No re-examination from Roux. The second witness of the day is finished.
8.59am BST
08:59
Judge Masipa is back in the courtroom and the hearing resumes.
Prosecutor Gerrie Nel now has his chance to cross-examine defence witness and pastor Marius Nel.
Gerrie Nel: It’s kind of strange to address the witness as Mr Nel.
8.48am BST8.48am BST
08:4808:48
During the break, Oscar Pistorius turns round to talk to his uncle Arnold Pistorius and aunt Lois Pistorius who are, as usual, on the bench behind him. His brother Carl Pistorius is also in court.During the break, Oscar Pistorius turns round to talk to his uncle Arnold Pistorius and aunt Lois Pistorius who are, as usual, on the bench behind him. His brother Carl Pistorius is also in court.
#OscarPistorius during break OP, still looking like he's hardly slept, shares a moment with uncle and brother pic.twitter.com/y5Bn5ZSqkv#OscarPistorius during break OP, still looking like he's hardly slept, shares a moment with uncle and brother pic.twitter.com/y5Bn5ZSqkv
8.45am BST8.45am BST
08:4508:45
Marius Nel says he would prefer not to reveal in open court the names of the schools Pistorius worked with but can provide them to the judge.Marius Nel says he would prefer not to reveal in open court the names of the schools Pistorius worked with but can provide them to the judge.
Roux is finished with his questioning.Roux is finished with his questioning.
Gerrie Nel asks for a 15-minute break.Gerrie Nel asks for a 15-minute break.
8.44am BST8.44am BST
08:4408:44
The pastor says he visited Pistorius “often” while he was in prison to provide spiritual care and comfort.The pastor says he visited Pistorius “often” while he was in prison to provide spiritual care and comfort.
I experienced … a man that was broken, who expressed his sorrow.I experienced … a man that was broken, who expressed his sorrow.
I ministered to Mr Pistorius, prayed with him … and supported him.I ministered to Mr Pistorius, prayed with him … and supported him.
8.43am BST8.43am BST
08:4308:43
Marius Nel says Pistorius is a member of his church. Schools were interested in fitness, skills and nutrition and Pistorius was “very excited and positive about that”.Marius Nel says Pistorius is a member of his church. Schools were interested in fitness, skills and nutrition and Pistorius was “very excited and positive about that”.
The feedback from the schools were very positive … They would appreciate his involvement and it would have a great effect in the school.The feedback from the schools were very positive … They would appreciate his involvement and it would have a great effect in the school.
8.41am BST
08:41
Marius Nel is a pastor in a church in Centurion, which runs a non-profit organisation called Bright Smiles, Bright Future focused on underprivileged children.
He says the group works with the education department to reach out to underprivileged learners in an “adopt a scholar” programme, providing blankets, stationery and so on. There is also a feeding scheme for 5,000 children each day, and a medical programme.
8.38am BST
08:38
It looks as if we will get a third witness for the defence in mitigation of sentence.
This is Marius Nel, a pastor. (I will try to avoid confusion with the prosecutor by calling him Marius Nel, rather than simply Nel.)
Marius Nel asks not to be televised.
8.37am BST
08:37
Roux says he has no further questions for Gudmundsdottir.
Gerrie Nel has only one: he wants to know how old her son is now. He is 11.
The witness is excused.
Updated
at 8.37am BST
8.36am BST
08:36
Gudmundsdottir says her family travelled to Manchester to see Pistorius running and it was “an inspiration” for her son, who at that time was struggling with his own prostheses.
Pistorius gave her son his gold medal, saying:
This is for you, champion.
8.34am BST
08:34
Pistorius told her it “would be his pleasure to help us in any way”, Gudmundsdottir says.
She says Pistorius wrote to her when her son was around seven months old to say he was coming to Iceland and did they want to meet him.
We were of course very, very happy.
Pistorius travelled frequently to Iceland because the company that made his blades (prostheses) was based there.
He took a special interest in her son, she says, but also in her older daughter, who is not disabled.
He made sure she was never left out.
8.32am BST
08:32
Gudmundsdottir tells the court that when she was pregnant, she found out her son would be born without legs. He was the first person to be born without legs in Iceland.
She says she Googled and came across footage of Pistorius running. She contacted him.
8.30am BST
08:30
Defence counsel Barry Roux calls his witness, Ebba Gudny Gudmundsdottir.
She is apparently a longstanding friend of Pistorius and is from Iceland.
8.28am BST
08:28
Court begins
Judge Thokozile Masipa has arrived and the hearing starts.
Today we expect to hear from the second defence witness – so far unnamed – who will testify about Pistorius’ work for charity.
8.19am BST
08:19
What happened on day one: summary
Two witnesses will speak in mitigation
Scholtz: Pistorius should not return to prison
Further imprisonment would have a detrimental effect on him.
[It] would not be psychologically or socially constructive.
Mr Pistorius would be better served … if he gave back in a positive and constructive way, using his skills.
Pistorius will not testify
Scholtz: I don’t think he is able to be a witness in this trial: his condition is severe.
He was ‘verbally violent and aggressive’ in prison
Pistorius ‘accepts he murdered Steenkamp’
Nel: Did Mr Pistorius indicate to you that he intentionally shot at the door knowing there was a person in the bathroom?
Scholtz: Yes …
Nel: That’s the first version of him intentionally shooting at the person that we’ve had in this court.
It’s not clear if the Steenkamps will testify
8.08am BST
08:08
Opening summary
Claire Phipps
Today the high court in Pretoria reconvenes for the second day of the sentencing hearing for Oscar Pistorius.
The former athlete will receive a fresh sentence after his initial conviction for culpable homicide – for which he was given a five-year prison term – was overturned by South Africa’s supreme court, which found him guilty of murder.
Pistorius killed Reeva Steenkamp, his girlfriend, in February 2013 when he fired four bullets through a locked toilet cubicle door in his Pretoria home.
He served 10 months of his original jail sentence and since October 2015 has been living under house arrest conditions at his uncle’s home.
Yesterday the defence put forward its first witness, Professor Jonathan Scholtz, a clinical psychologist who testified that Pistorius was “broken” and should be in hospital rather than facing more prison time.
I’ll post a summary of Scholtz’s evidence shortly. You can read the write-up of day one from the Guardian’s Africa correspondent, Jason Burke, here.
Comments won’t be switched on for now, but you can contact me with comments or questions on Twitter @Claire_Phipps.