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The South African Olympic and Paralympic athlete, Oscar Pistorius has been found guilty of manslaughter (culpable homicide) in his killing of girlfriend Reeva Rebecca Steenkamp on Valentine's Day last year.

Trial  Judge Thokozile Masipa also found Pistorious guilty of firing a firearm at a restaurant illegally and faces up to 15 years in jail.

Pistorious was however found not guilty of murder and illegal possession of ammunition and was discharged on both counts because, in the words of the judge, prosecution failed to prove his guilt beyond all reasonable doubt.

Mr Pistorius, 27, had pleaded not guilty on all charges and claimed when he fired his gun repeatedly at the door of his toilet behind which he suspected was an intruder, he did not intend to kill anyone.

Reeva Steenkamp, a South African model and an aspiring lawyer was shot by Pistorius and died of gunshot wounds at the age of 29. She has since been cremated at the Victoria Park crematorium in Port Elizabeth on 19 February 2013.