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It's likely that Oscar Pistorius will receive less than the minimum 15-year prison sentence for murdering girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, legal sources have claimed.
The now disgraced paralympian is due to be sentenced this Wednesday for the murder, which took place three years ago at his home in Pretoria, South Africa.
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He was originally charged with culpable homicide, the equivalent of manslaughter in the UK, and was released last October after serving one year of his five-year sentence.
After an appeal, his conviction was upgraded to murder, which carries the minimum sentence of 15 years. However, the Daily Mail reports that due to his time already spent in jail and other mitigating factors, including his disability, it's likely he will be given a lesser term.
The 29-year-old fired four shots through his bathroom door and killed model and presenter Steenkamp in the early hours of Valentine's Day 2013, claiming he mistook her for a burglar.
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Ulrich Roux, who is unaffiliated with the case but has followed it closely, told AFP, "I don't think he will get the 15 years. His personal circumstances and the disability will be taken into account. One possibility is that part of the sentence may be suspended.'
The high-drama court cases have attracted global attention as Pistorius has sobbed throughout evidence and hobbled on his stumps in court to show his vulnerability. His lawyers argue he shouldn't be sent back to jail as he suffers with depression and an anxiety disorder.
Prosecutor Gerrie Nel argued that Pistorius' lack of remorse means he should be given a lengthy sentence.
In his first interview since the killing, Pistorius said that he believed Steenkamp would rather he spent his life dedicated to charity and helping the less fortunate than for him to return to prison.
Pistorius currently resides at his uncle's mansion. If he is jailed on Wednesday, he will probably return to the hospital section of Kgosi Mampuru II Prison, where he is kept separated from the general population.
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Words by Claire Reid
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