Oscar Pistorius jailed for 6 years

South African Paralympic athlete, Oscar Pistorius, who shot and killed his girlfriend in 2013, has been sentenced to six years in jail.

Pistorius was given the sentence on Wednesday after being convicted of murder. An earlier five-year jail term for manslaughter was overturned on appeal in December 2015.

Pistorius repeatedly shot Reeva Steenkamp, her 29-year-old model girlfriend, after she barricaded herself in the bathroom of his home in Pretoria on Valentine’s Day in 2013.

The athlete, who was amputated as a baby, and got fame competing with prosthetic legs in the Olympics, said he mistook Reeva for an intruder.

Pistorius said he took action out of fear about his vulnerability.

He appeared on Wednesday at North Gauteng High Court after a three-and-a-half year legal battle.

Judge Thokozile Masipa, who also gave the first sentence that was overturned, said Wednesday that mitigating circumstances, such as rehabilitation and remorse, outweighed aggravating factors for deviating from the prescribed 15-year minimum sentence for murder.

The prosecution and defence can appeal the new sentence.

Shortly after the sentencing, Pistorius was led away to the cells. He already served one year of the previous conviction.