Oscar Pistorius gives a horrifying account of how he killed his girlfriend

  Oscar Pistorius today gave a horrifying account of the night he shot dead his girlfriend claiming he mistook her for a burglar when he woke up in the middle of the night.In a statement read out to Pretoria magistrates court, the Paralympic athlete said he had been on the balcony of his house when he heard noises from the bathroom.Believing Reeva Steenkamp was asleep in bed, he grabbed his gun and shouted a warning before firing four shots through the door.It was only then, Pistorius claims that he realised Miss Steenkamp was not in bed.
He told a court he was 'deeply in love' with his girlfriend and that she had bought him a Valentine's Day present.The court appearance comes on the same day as Miss Steenkamp's funeral, a private service, after her body was returned to her home town of Port Elizabeth.
In an affidavit Pistorius made the following statement read out by his lawyer.

I fail to understand how I could be charged with murder, let alone premeditated murder because I had no intention to kill. I had no intention to kill my girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.I have been informed I have been accused of murder – I deny the accusation. Nothing can be further from the truth that I planned the murder of my girlfriend.On 13 Feb Reeva would have gone out with her friends, me with mine. She wanted to stay at home.I was watching TV.

My legs were off. She was doing yoga. At the end of the evening we got into bed.I’m accutely aware of people gaining entries to homes to commit crime, I’ve received death threats.I sleep with my 9mm under my bed. I woke up to close the sliding door and heard a noise in the bathroom.I was scared and didn’t switch on the light. I got my gun and moved towards the bathroom. I screamed at the intruder because I did not have my legs on I felt vulnerable. I fired shots through the bathroom door and told Reeva to call police.I walked back to the bed and realised Reeva was not in bed. Its then it dawned on me it could be her in there.I kicked the door open. Called paramedics and complex security. I tried to carry her downstairs for help.I tried to help her but she died in my arms.With the benefit of hindsight I realise that Reeva went to the bathroom when I went to close the balcony door.I make this affadavit of my own free will and have not been influenced. Contents is true and correct.I am an international sports star, I will not evade my trial. After the shooting I did not flee the scene. I remained until the police arrived.