South African Paralympic track star Oscar Pistorius reacts as he listens to evidence by a pathologist during his trial in court in Pretoria on April 7, 2014/AFP
Sobbing and with his jaw trembling as he took the witness stand in his defence, Pistorius said he did not intend to kill his 29-year-old lover.
The Paralympic gold medallist is accused of premeditated murder, but claims he shot the model though a locked toilet door believing she was an intruder.
“I want to take this opportunity to apologise to Mr and Mrs Steenkamp,” he said, at times barely audible as he sobbed.
Pistorius said he was “trying to protect Reeva” on Valentine’s Day last year. “I can promise that when she went to bed that night she felt loved.”
“There isn’t a moment, or hasn’t been a moment since this tragedy happened that I haven’t thought about your family.”
“I can’t imagine the pain and sorrow and the emptiness that I’ve caused you and your family.”
“I can’t imagine the pain and sorrow and the emptiness that I’ve caused you and your family.”
In the tribunal Steenkamp’s mother June, flanked by other relatives, stared at him stony-faced during the apology.
She has sat through weeks of gruesome evidence, including brutal images of her dead daughter.
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