Oscar Pistorius murder charge

BLADE runner Oscar Pistorius is to be tried for the premeditated murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, it was revealed yesterday.

Pistorius is to be tried for the premeditated murder of his girlfriend, who he claims he mistook for a burglar

Prosecutors in South Africa have decided after a review not to charge him with culpable homicide, roughly equivalent to manslaughter in the UK.

The athlete’s lawyers had hoped to persuade the authorities to opt for the less serious charge.

Pistorious, 26, will also face two additional charges of recklessly firing a gun in a public place.

“The athlete’s lawyers had hoped to persuade the authorities to opt for the less serious charge.”

He is alleged to have fired out of the sunroof of a pal’s car during a drive and, in a separate incident, fired a friend’s gun in a Johannesburg restaurant.

The double leg amputee is next due in court on Monday, which would have been Reeva’s 30th birthday.

He admits firing the shots that killed Reeva, but insists he mistook her for a burglar.