Oscar Pistorious could be freed from jail within a year, despite being sentenced to six year's jail for murdering his girlfriend, according to a leading defence lawyer.

The family of Reeva Steenkamp said they would not launch an appeal over her killer's six-year jail sentence insisting 'nothing will bring her back'.

Fallen superstar Pistorius was sent to jail over the murder this morning - but could be eligible to be considered for parole after serving just half of the sentence.

And one leading defence lawyer, who was on the shortlist to defend Pistorius following his arrest, said Pistorius could actually be freed after just one year.

Mike Hellens - who is the South African equivalent of a QC - explained that because the judge did not specify that she had taken into account the year he has already spent behind bars, Pistorius' lawyers could successfully argue for that time to be deducted from the six year term handed down, making him eligible to be considered for parole in two and a half years.

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Fallen superstar Oscar Pistorius could be free in 2019 after a judge sentenced him for six years for the murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp

Arnold Pistorius (left), uncle of Oscar Pistorius, walks in front of the stand as Reeva Steenkamp's weeping cousin Kim Martins is comforted by Reeva's mother June andr husband Barry

Oscar Pistorius holds his sister Aimee Pistorius as he leaves the High Court after he was sentenced to six years for murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp

Pistorius, 29, shot Steenkamp in the early hours of Valentine's Day in 2013, claiming he mistook her for a burglar when he fired four times through the door of his bedroom toilet

Mr Hellens added that South Africa's sentencing laws empowered prison bosses would be be free to approach a judge to have Pistorius released into house arrest after just one more year behind bars.

Mr Hellens said: 'The judge was not clear in her judgment, but there is an argument that the Supreme Court of Appeal set aside his earlier conviction and the sentence.

'So, his lawyer could argue that he has done one year already and then he could be out in two and half years on straight parole.

'Or, according to this law, the prisons authorities could approach the judge in one year from now and ask her to reconsider the sentence and release him on correctional supervision, or house arrest.'

The one-time Olympic icon clutched at his family as he was led down to the cells to await his return to prison after being sentenced by Judge Thokozile Masipa.

At the same time, Reeva's parents June and Barry maintained a dignified silence and comforted the model's cousin Kim Martins as she wept in court.

Dup De Bruyn, solicitor for the Steenkamp family, said afterwards: 'The law has run its course, nothing will bring Reeva back.'

Although the state were given the opportunity to announce an appeal against the decision, they declined to do so.

The 29-year-old runner's sister Aimee, wept loudly - her hands clasped to her face – as she watched her older brother descend into the bowls of Pretoria's High Court – where the latest chapter of Pistorius' extraordinary life has played out for the last two years.

Jenna Edkins, the double amputee's former girlfriend, who has reportedly moved back in with him to provide comfort during his last few weeks of freedom, whispered to him and held his sleeve as he passed slowly.

The grief-stricken parents of 29-year-old Reeva maintained a dignified silence as Judge Masipa sealed Pistorius' fate, and appeared to accept that the killer was shown great mercy by the judge, who could have jailed him for 15 years.

Judge Masipa, whose earlier decision to acquit the double amputee of murdering his lover was overturned by appeal judges, took an hour to read her lengthy judgment before ordering Pistorius to stand as she handed down his final punishment.

Mrs Steenkamp (left) lowered her eyes and shook her head in disagreement when the judge told the court that she did not consider the dead woman to have been in 'an abusive relationship'

Pistorius hugged family members as he was led away following the dramatic sentencing hearing this morning

Describing the accused as a 'fallen hero' who 'cannot be at peace' the judge told the court that a lengthy spell behind bars 'would not serve justice in this matter'

Journalists crowd around a van believed to be carrying Olympic and Paralympic track star Oscar Pistorius after his sentencing at the North Gauteng High Court

Pistorius was driven from the court after the dramatic sentencing this morning as he started his jail term

Lawyers for the defence looked relieved at the decision, although prosecutor Gerrie Nel looked uncomfortable.

The judge briefly adjourned the court enabling the lawyers to discuss the decision, but at this stage the state appears to be prepared to let it go unchallenged.

The statutory minimum for murder in South Africa is 15 years, however, the Judge found that Pistorius' disability, the context of the killing, the 12 months he has already spent behind bars during which he completed a raft of rehabilitation courses provided 'compelling' reasons to show mercy.

SENTENCING HIGHLIGHTS - Runner sentenced to six years in jail - Must serve half before parole or house arrest can be considered - Could be back home by July 2019 - Waiting to hear if state will appeal - Family and supporters of the runner wept - The quietest people in the room were the parents of Reeva Steenkamp - Pistorius, 29, could be out by the age of 32 Advertisement

State prosecutor Gerrie Nel had called for the double amputee to serve the minimum sentence for firing four expanding bullets at his victim at close range as she cowered behind a locked toilet door.

And Barry Steenkamp, Reeva's devastated father, also asked the judge to ensure that his daughter's killer should 'pay for his crime'.

But in her judgment, the judge made it clear she had accepted arguments made by Pistorius' lawyers that the statutory minimum sentence was not appropriate in the case, despite the overwhelming tide of hostile public opinion against the runner.

'Public opinion may be loud and persistent but it can play no role in this case,' she told the packed court.

She rejected the 'misperception' of Reeva's parents, Barry and June Steenkamp, that there was a violent argument between the lovers before the fatal shooting.

Mrs Steenkamp lowered her eyes and shook her head in disagreement when the judge told the court that she did not consider the dead woman to have been in 'an abusive relationship'.

The judge accepted the defence's argument that there were 'two Oscars' – one a powerful athlete, the other a vulnerable man with a profound disability.

'It is easy to see we are dealing with two different people,' she said.

Citing Pistorius as a 'good candidate for rehabilition' she concluded that the fact that he is known to have a 'quick temper did not make him a violent person. '

The sentencing may also not be the end of the saga, as Pistorius or the state could launch a final round of appeals against the length of the prison term

Judge Thokozile Masipa, who heard the original trial, handed out a six-year sentence three weeks after a court hearing that marked another episode of high drama in the long-running case

As he moved slowly along the bench towards the dock, where he spent months on trial for murder, Pistorius sought to make eye contact and greet the parents of his 29-year-old victim as he passed in front of them

As the judge read out her judgment, the body language of Reeva Steenkamp's family became increasingly uncomfortable as the realisation dawned on them that her killer would be shown mercy by the court.

Describing the accused as a 'fallen hero' who 'cannot be at peace' she told the court that a lengthy spell behind bars 'would not serve justice in this matter'.

Dup De Bruyn, solicitor for the Steenkamp family said: 'The law has run its course, nothing will bring Reeva back.'

The law has run its course, nothing will bring Reeva back Dup De Bruyn, solicitor for the Steenkamp family

There have been conflicting interpretations by lawyers about when Pistorius could be eligible to be considered for parole - ranging between one-sixth and two-thirds of his sentence.

Any challenge by the prosecution to the Supreme Court of Appeal would be another blow to Judge Masipa, who issued the original culpable homicide verdict that was later overturned.

Many legal experts said they had expected a term of between 11 and 14 years.

Jacqui Mofokeng, spokeswoman of the ruling ANC party's women league, told AFP after the sentencing: 'We are very disappointed... from five years that we fought against, and now it is six, what is that? It's an insult to the women of South Africa.'

The roads around the High Court were blocked by police as a prison van, carrying Pistorius, and police outriders swept up from the court's cells in a blaze of sirens and flashing lights.

The convoy arrived at Kgosi Mampuru II jail only a few minutes later where Pistorius will be processed before being led back to the hospital wing where he spent little under a year for manslaughter.

Oscar Pistorius was handed a six-year jail term for murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp - but could be out in 2019 after a judge outlined his 'special circumstances'

Oscar Pistorius is flanked by guards as he arrives at court (left). Reeva Steenkamp's mother June and her father Barry ahead of the hearing (right)

South African Paralympian Oscar Pistorius (pictured arriving at court this morning) was freed from prison last October after serving one year of a five-year term for culpable homicide, the equivalent of manslaughter

The runner will once again be given a schedule of rehabilitation programmes to complete while he serves his time which will count towards any consideration to give him parole, which could be considered by prison bosses in three years' time.

Outside court, where crowds had gathered for a glimpse of the famous prisoner, many observers were critical of the judge's decision.

The National Prosecuting Authority have two weeks to announce an appeal against the sentence - sources have said that prosecutor Mr Nel would not accept any jail term under eight years.

However, with the family of the dead cover girl appearing to resign themselves to the punishment, the decision by the judge may go unchallenged.

After the sentencing, the runner's brother, Carl Pistorius, took to Twitter to reveal his 'utmost respect for Judge Masipa' calling her a 'remarkable woman'.

In a second tweet, he wrote: 'The record has been set straight and justice done. The truth will always prevail.'

Pistorius' father Henke added: 'Obviously I am sad to see my son going back to jail and this is not what I had wanted. I suppose we must see if Nel will appeal it, I hope not.

'But at least the judge today spelled some things out that we believe - that Oscar is remorseful and has tried to apologise repeatedly, and that all the headlines about him being violent are not true. For that, at least, I am happy.'

Legal observers across South Africa took to social media to express surprise at how lenient the judge had been with Pistorius - adding only a single year to the sentence she had originally handed down to him for manslaughter. Many predicted prosecutors would be considering an appeal.

Oscar Pistorius will serve his sentence in the Kgosi Mampuru Correctional Facility in Pretoria, South Africa

The convoy arrived at Kgosi Mampuru II jail only a few minutes later where Pistorius will be processed before being led back to the hospital wing where he spent little under a year for manslaughter

And twitter lit up to highlight a string of much harsher sentences which had been handed down in South Africa, for far less serious crimes, such as theft.

A recurring theme was that if Pistorius had been poor and black - and not rich, famous and white - he would now be facing a far longer stretch behind bars.

Reeva's best friend Gina Myers was in court with her sister, Kim and their mother, to hear the judge's decision. She refused to comment to journalists, but her later tweet expressed her frustration. She wrote '5forCulp6ForMurder'.

Top South African defence lawyer Mike Hellens said he did not think that Gerrie Nel would be wise to appeal as it would have little chance of success in extending Pistorius' time behind bars.

An appeal would have to show that the sentence handed down was 'shockingly inappropriate' or 'there had been an error in reasoning and there was any mis-direction', Mr Hellens added.

'I didn't hear any misdirection in the judgment, and although Gerrie Nel will be disappointed with the sentence, I don't think any appeal would find it to be 'shockingly inappropriate'. I think once Gerrie Nel has calmed down a bit, he should see that he wouldn't get anywhere with an appeal and this should be the end of the matter, once and for all.'

After the sentencing, the runner's brother, Carl Pistorius, took to Twitter to reveal his 'utmost respect for Judge Masipa' calling her a 'remarkable woman'

In a second tweet, he wrote: 'The record has been set straight and justice done. The truth will always prevail'

Reeva's best friend Gina Myers was in court with her sister, Kim and their mother, to hear the judge's decision. She refused to comment to journalists, but her later tweet expressed her frustration. She wrote '5forCulp6ForMurder'

Pistorius shot Steenkamp in the early hours of Valentine's Day in 2013, claiming he mistook her for a burglar when he fired four times through the door of his bedroom toilet.

The athlete looked pale, drawn and hollow-eyed as he arrived at court this morning.

He spent several minutes hugging his family, friends and legal team who gathered in large numbers to support him.

Fans bearing wrapped gifts lined up to hug their fallen hero as he picked his way through the packed court on what was likely to be his final walk as a free man.

As he moved slowly along the bench towards the dock, where he spent months on trial for murder, Pistorius deliberately sought to make eye contact and greet the parents of his 29-year-old victim as he passed in front of them.

Jenna Edkins, the double amputee's former girlfriend, who has reportedly moved in with him to provide comfort during his last few weeks of freedom took her seat behind Pistorius, flanked by his sister Aimee and uncle Arnold.

He then took his seat and was seen tapping on his mobile phone.

Steenkamp's parents, Barry and June, sat on the other side of the courtroom, which was packed with journalists and other observers.

Shown to the world with her parents' blessing: A judge has agreed to release shocking pictures of Reeva Steenkamp's gunshot injuries after her father begged for the 'world to see' the pain Oscar Pistorius had inflicted on his daughter when he shot her dead three years ago

Pistorius shot the model with three military-grade Black Talon bullets that are designed to expand upon impact, wreaking devastating damage to the flesh it strikes. Six images were released after her parent chose which ones they wanted to be shared with the public

Due to his time already spent in jail and mitigating factors such as his disability, he could be given a lesser term and some legal experts believe he could even be free in three and a half years

Pistorius was freed from prison in the South African capital Pretoria last October after serving one year of a five-year term for culpable homicide - the equivalent of manslaughter

Reeva Steenkamp's father Barry arrives at the High Court in Pretoria, for the hearing of Oscar Pistorius

Judge Thokozile Masipa said her sentence would consider a variety of factors, including the interests of society and those of the victims, as well as crime deterrence and rehabilitation.

Masipa asked Pistorius to sit on his wooden bench in the Pretoria courtroom on Wednesday while she explained the reasons for her decision.

Earlier, Stephan Terblanche, a law professor at the University of South Africa, had told AFP: 'It is very difficult to predict what sentence it is that will be imposed... This a fairly unique situation.'

Legal expert Llewellyn Curlewis, chair of the Law Society of the Northern Provinces, told the agency that he expected a sentence of between 11 and 14 years.

But leading defence lawyer, Mike Hellens, who was on the shortlist to represent Pistorius following his arrest for the Valentine's Day murder in 2013, had also warned against the judge 'over compensating' after her manslaughter conviction of the runner was overturned by superiors last year.

Mr Hellens, who has known Judge Masipa for many years, earlier said he thought she would ignore the minimum sentence guideline for 'significant and compelling reasons' and jail the 29-year-old for 'between seven and 10 years' – which would mean the runner could be free in three and a half years.

Mr Hellens predicted 'an immediate appeal' by the state if the judge – who was demonstrably moved by the disabled athlete's emotional outbursts in court – jailed him for any less than seven years.

South African paralympian Oscar Pistorius (C) shot his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in the early hours of Valentine's Day in 2013, claiming he mistook her for a burglar

The 29-year-old Paralympian looked pale, drawn and hollow-eyed as he arrived at court this morning

Olympic and Paralympic track star Oscar Pistorius arrives for sentencing at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria

Legal expert Llewellyn Curlewis, chair of the Law Society of the Northern Provinces, told AFP that he expected a sentence of between 11 and 14 years

Judge Masipa, who heard the original trial, delivered the sentence three weeks after a court hearing that marked another episode of high drama in the long-running case.

Pistorius, sobbing heavily, hobbled on his stumps across the courtroom to demonstrate his physical vulnerability as his lawyers argued he should not return to jail on account of his anxiety disorder and depression.

But prosecutor Gerrie Nel argued that the double-amputee sprinter should be given a lengthy jail term as he failed to show any remorse for the murder.

Nel also criticised Pistorius for filming a recent television interview, despite claiming to be too unwell to give evidence in court.

In the interview, he said he believed Steenkamp would want him to devote his life to charity rather than return to prison for killing her.

'I don't want to go back to jail,' he said. 'If I was afforded the opportunity of redemption, I would like to help the less fortunate.'

I would like to believe that if Reeva could look down upon me that she would want me to live that life.

OSCAR PISTORIUS: FROM OLYMPIC GLORY TO SIX-YEAR JAIL SENTENCE Oscar Pistorius, the South African double-amputee sprinter who shot dead his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in 2013, was sentenced on Wednesday to six years in prison. In December, the country's Supreme Court of Appeal threw out his earlier conviction of the lesser crime of culpable homicide, for which Pistorius had served one year of a five-year jail sentence. Here is a snapshot of events that began with the shooting on Valentine's Day 2013. 2013 February 14: Police arrest the double-amputee Olympic sprinter for killing Steenkamp, a 29-year-old model, who was shot four times at his Pretoria home. February 15: Pistorius bursts into tears as he is charged, denying murder 'in the strongest terms'. February 19: Pistorius claims in an affidavit he mistook Steenkamp for an intruder. He fired through a locked bathroom door in what prosecutors term 'premeditated' murder. February 22: Pistorius is granted bail. The sentencing may also not be the end of the saga, as Pistorius or the state could launch a final round of appeals against the length of the prison term 2014 March 3: The trial opens in Pretoria before an army of journalists from around the world, with the testimony of a neighbour who tells the court she heard 'terrible screams' from a woman. Ten days later, Pistorius vomits when a picture of Steenkamp's body is flashed on the court's television screens. April 7-15: Pistorius takes the stand and begins with a tearful apology to Steenkamp's family. This is followed by five days of often intense cross-examination, marked by bouts of tears and breaks in the session. Pistorius steadfastly denies any intention to kill Steenkamp. June 30: After a six-week break, a panel of three psychiatrists and a psychologist conclude that Pistorius does not suffer from mental illness. September 12: Pistorius is found guilty of culpable homicide or manslaughter. October 21: Judge Thokozile Masipa sentences Pistorius to a maximum of five years in jail. The athlete is immediately taken to Pretoria prison. 2015 October 20: Pistorius is allowed out of prison after just one year to spend the remainder of his sentence under house arrest. December 3: The Supreme Court of Appeal convicts Pistorius of murder, saying his testimony was 'vacillating and untruthful'. December 8: Pistorius is released on bail pending sentencing, and remains under house arrest. 2016 January 11: Pistorius makes last-ditch attempt with South Africa's top court to overturn his murder conviction. March 2: Pistorius loses his final bid to appeal his murder conviction. July 6: He is sentenced to six years in jail for the murder. Advertisement

Steenkamp's father 73-year-old Barry broke down during his testimony at the sentencing hearing as he called for Pistorius to 'pay for his crime' of murdering Reeva, a model and law graduate.

Last month a judge has dramatically agreed to release graphic pictures of Steenkamp's gunshot wounds after her parents begged for the 'world to see' the pain Oscar Pistorius has inflicted on their daughter.

Some of the pictures show her hair matted with blood and severe bruising around her eye which a pathologist said during his trial was caused by the impact of the bullet on her skull.

MailOnline chose to publish some of the pictures, which were muzzed, but the others were far too graphic to show.

Pistorius, who pleaded not guilty at his trial in 2014, has always denied killing Steenkamp in a rage, saying he was trying to protect her.

The Supreme Court of Appeal in December ruled that Pistorius was guilty of murder, irrespective of who was behind the door when he opened fire with a high-calibre pistol he kept under his bed.

If jailed on Wednesday, he would likely return to the hospital section of Kgosi Mampuru II prison in Pretoria, separated from regular inmates.

Pistorius - who was born without calf bones - had his legs amputated below the knee when he was just 11 months old so he could be fitted with prosthetic legs.

Since his release, Pistorius has lived under restrictions at his uncle's mansion in Pretoria.

He became the first Paralympian to compete against able-bodied athletes at the 2012 London Olympics.

The 'broke and broken' Olympian who went from international sports stardom to a prison cell

At the 2012 London Olympics, before 80,000 roaring fans and a constellation of camera flashes, it took Oscar Pistorius 45.44 seconds to become a global icon.

The South African's sprint around the 400m track was the first time in history that a double-amputee had raced at the Olympic Games.

The race capped an Olympian triumph over adversity for Pistorius. His journey from disabled child to world-class athlete seemed to embody the very best of sporting endeavour and the human spirit.

The South African's sprint around the 400m track at the London 2012 Olympic Games was the first time in history that a double-amputee had raced at the Olympic Games

The 2012 Olympics capped a triumph over adversity for Pistorius. His journey from disabled child to world-class athlete seemed to embody the very best of sporting endeavour and the human spirit

Then on Valentine's Day in 2013 his achievements were just as quickly demolished.

In the early hours of the morning at his upmarket Pretoria home, he shot and killed his 29-year-old model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, later saying he believed her to be an intruder.

At his trial in 2014, he sat for months in a windowless courtroom, and watched as his world was washed away.

His sparkling career was cut short, sponsors dumped him and he was forced to sell his homes in the face of mounting legal bills.

His conviction for manslaughter put him in jail for a year but his crime was upgraded to murder on appeal and on Wednesday he was sentenced to six years, less than half the minimum term of 15 years for the charge.

The athlete had sobbed, shaken and vomited in the dock as details of his lover's brutal death were examined in excruciating detail during his trial while the eyes of the world were transfixed.

In the early hours of the morning at his upmarket Pretoria home, Pistorius shot and killed his 29-year-old model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp (pictured), later saying he believed her to be an intruder

The 'Blade Runner' - an epithet earned for his trademark prosthetic legs that powered him to fame as a Paralympic gold medallist - became the 'Blade Gunner.'

'He's not only broke, but he is broken, there is nothing left,' lawyer Barry Roux told his sentencing hearing last month.

Time and again during his trial, the court was told about 'two Oscars' - one a hero, the other a victim.

But the high-profile proceedings also exposed the 29-year-old's darker side: offering glimpses of a dangerously volatile man with a penchant for guns, beautiful women and fast cars.

In 2009, he spent a night in jail after allegedly assaulting a 19-year-old woman at a party in a case that was settled out of court.

Two years later, he was accused of firing a gun through the sunroof of an ex-girlfriend's moving car, although a court found there was not enough evidence to convict him on that charge.

Weeks before he shot Steenkamp, he discharged a gun by accident at a Johannesburg restaurant.

'Oscar is certainly not what people think he is,' ex-lover and trial witness Samantha Taylor has said.

Pistorius has long been open about his love for guns. The sprinter slept with a pistol under his bed at his home in a high-security estate for fear of burglars.

Once held in Amsterdam after gunpowder residue was detected on his prosthetics, he also took a New York Times journalist interviewing him to a shooting range.

Pistorius (right with Steenkamp) has long been open about his love for guns. The sprinter slept with a pistol under his bed at his home in a high-security estate for fear of burglars

The runner's sparkling career was cut short, sponsors dumped him and he was forced to sell his homes in the face of mounting legal bills

The writer described him driving at 250 kilometres (155 miles) an hour, double the speed limit, and referred to Pistorius as having 'a fierce, even frenzied need to take on the world at maximum speed and with minimum caution'.

His passion for motorbikes, adrenaline and speed is well documented. 'He likes fast cars. He is just built for speed,' his trainer Jannie Brooks told AFP.

He also crashed his boat on a river, breaking two ribs, an eye socket and his jaw. Empty alcohol bottles were found in the boat.

He once owned two white tigers but sold them to a zoo in Canada when they became too big.

Born in 1986 in Johannesburg without fibulas (calf bones), his parents decided when he was 11 months old to have his legs amputated below the knee so he could be fitted with prosthetic legs.

This allowed him to play sports while growing up. He excelled in many, concentrating on running only after fracturing a knee playing rugby.

Born in 1986 in Johannesburg without fibulas (calf bones), his parents decided when he was 11 months old to have his legs amputated below the knee so he could be fitted with prosthetic legs

'It was never made an issue. My mother would say to my brother, 'You put on your shoes, and Oscar, you put on your legs, then meet me at the car,' Pistorius said in a 2011 interview.

A middle child whose parents divorced when he was six, he has a problematic relationship with his father Henke, but is close to his siblings who were at his side in court.

His mother died when he was 15 and the date of her death is tattooed on his arm.

In 2004, just eight months after taking to the track, he smashed the 200m world record at the Athens Paralympics.

Next up was the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games where he took the 100m, 200m and 400m sprint titles and launched a battle to take part in able-bodied athletics, overcoming arguments that his custom-built carbon-fibre running blades gave him an unfair advantage.

In 2011 he made history by becoming the first amputee to run at the World Championships, where he took silver with South Africa's 4x400m sprint team.

'You're not disabled by your disabilities but abled by your abilities,' he told Athlete magazine in an interview that year.

In 2012 he again made history by becoming the first double-amputee to compete at both the Olympics and Paralympics.

'He is the definition of global inspiration,' Time magazine proclaimed in its 2012 list of the world's most influential people.