Oscar Pistorius to be released into house arrest

Athlete to be given parole on October 20th, about a year into manslaughter sentence

Oscar Pistorius during his trial in Pretoria. Pistorius will be released on parole next week after serving one year of his five-year jail term for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. Photograph: Daniel Born/AFP/Getty Images
Oscar Pistorius during his trial in Pretoria. Pistorius will be released on parole next week after serving one year of his five-year jail term for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. Photograph: Daniel Born/AFP/Getty Images

Oscar Pistorius will be released on parole on October 20th, about a year after he was sentenced to five years for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, authorities said.

The department of correctional services said in a statement that Pistorius would be placed under house arrest from Tuesday.

The Olympic and Paralympic track star is behind bars in Pretoria, after being convicted in September last year after a seven-month trial.

Pistorius was convicted of culpable homicide, the equivalent of manslaughter, after he fired four 9mm shots through a locked toilet door on February 14th, 2013, killing model and law graduate Ms Steenkamp.

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Pistorius was due to have been released on parole in August after serving 10 months but justice minister Michael Masutha blocked his release, saying the parole hearing had been held prematurely.

At a globally televised trial Pistorius argued that he had mistaken Steenkamp for a burglar.

Prosecutors are appealing the culpable homicide verdict, arguing it should be murder because Pistorius must have known that the person behind the door could be killed. The appeal is due to be heard on November 3rd.

Known as "Blade Runner" because of his carbon-fibre prosthetics, Pistorius became one of the biggest names in world athletics at the London 2012 Olympics when he reached the semi-finals of the 400m race against able-bodied athletes.

Reuters