Oscar Pistorius’ jail sentence for murder more than doubled to 13 years, five months

Oscar Pistorius’ prison sentence was increased to 13 years and five months by South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal on Friday, more than doubling the Olympic runner’s jail term for the murder of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

Justice Willie Seriti said the Supreme Court upheld an appeal by prosecutors against Pistorius’ original six-year sentence for shooting Steenkamp several times in his home in 2013.

Steenkamp’s parents were “emotional” as they watched the court proceedings on television at home, family lawyer Tania Koen said.

“They feel there has been justice for Reeva. She can now rest in peace,” Koen said. “But at the same time, people must realise that people think this is the end of the road for them … the fact is they still live with Reeva’s loss every day.”

Pistorius killed Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day 2013, after shooting four times through a closed toilet cubicle door with his 9mm pistol. He claimed he mistook the 29-year-old model and reality television star for an intruder and was initially convicted of manslaughter. That conviction was overturned and replaced with a murder conviction by the Supreme Court in 2015. He was then sentenced to six years for murder, a decision also now rejected by the Supreme Court.