Oscar Pistorius has been described as “broken” by an investigative journalist with exclusive access to the athlete, who will hear the verdict of his murder trial today (11 September).

The sportsman claims that the death of his late girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, was an accident. He alleges that he mistook the 29-year-old for an intruder and panicked, shooting through the bathroom door out of fear on Valentine’s Day 2013.

Tomorrow (September 11), Judge Thokozile Matilda Masipa will decide his fate.

“He is a broken man,” said journalist Mark Williams-Thomas. “He made it very clear that whatever punishment is given to him tomorrow, nothing will bring Reeva back. He loves her dearly and wishes the circumstances were different.

“No punishment will be anywhere near the punishment he has for himself because he’s lost someone he was in love with. And let’s remember he was only going out with her for three months; they were still very much in a courting relationship.”

Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Show all 33 1 /33 Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius reacts to the verdict in his murder trial at the High Court in Pretoria EPA/ALON SKUY Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius listens to the verdict in his trial at the high court in Pretoria Siphiwe Sibeko/AFP/Getty Images Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Reeva Steenkamp's relatives Family members of Reeva Steenkamp react as they listen to the verdict of Oscar Pistorius at the high court in Pretoria Siphiwe Sibeko/AFP/Getty Images Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Aimee Pistorius Aimee Pistorius (C) sister of Oscar Pistorius sits during judgement in his murder trial in Pretoria EPA/ALON SKUY Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures State prosecutor Gerrie Nel State prosecutor, Gerrie Nel listens in court in Pretoria AP Photo/Siphiwe Sibeko Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius chats to his uncle Arnold ahead of the verdict in the trial of murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp at the high court in Pretoria Siphiwe Sibeko/AFP/Getty Images Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Barry Steenkamp Father of the late Reeva Steenkamp, Barry Steenkamp, sits in court at the Oscar Pistorius trial in Pretoria AP Photo/Siphiwe Sibeko Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Pistorius's defense lawyer Barry Roux Oscar Pistorius' Chief defence Barry Roux arrives at the High Court in Pretoria GIANLUIGI GUERCIA/AFP/Getty Images Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius arrives at the High Court in Pretoria GIANLUIGI GUERCIA/AFP/Getty Images Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures June Steenkamp June, mother of the late Reeva Steenkamp enters the Pretoria High Court MUJAHID SAFODIEN/AFP/Getty Images Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius arrives to North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria. Judge Thokosile Masipa has ruled out murder charges, but has left it to announce whether Oscar Pistorius is guilty of culpable homicide, as the six month trial of the Olympic double-amputee sprinter comes to an end Christopher Furlong/Getty Images Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius cries as the judge reads out the verdict during his murder trial POOLKIM LUDBROOK/AFP/Getty Images Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius cries in the dock during the verdict in his murder trial in Pretoria KIM LUDBROOK/AFP/Getty Images Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius reacts in the dock during the verdict in his murder trial in Pretoria EPA/KIM LUDBROOK Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Aimee Pistorius Aimee Pistorius, the sister of Oscar Pistorius, leaves North Gauteng High Court for a lunch break in Pretoria Christopher Furlong/Getty Images Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Lois and Arnold Pistorius Lois Pistorius and Arnold Pistorius, the aunt and uncle of Oscar Pistorius, leave North Gauteng High Court during the lunch break as Judge Thokozile Masipa considers her verdict in Pretoria Christopher Furlong/Getty Images Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Carl Pistorius Carl Pistorius, brother of Oscar Pistorius, sits in a wheel chair during Oscar Pistorius' judgement at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria REUTERS/Phill Magakoe Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Protesters People protest outside the North Gauteng High court, against the abuse and murder of women, as South African Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius attended the verdict in his murder trail in Pretoria EPA/IHSAAN HAFFEJEE Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Judge Thokozile Masipa Judge Thokozile Masipa reads her verdict during the Oscar Pistorius trial in Pretoria EPA/KIM LUDBROOK/POOL Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius sits in the dock during the verdict in his murder trial in Pretoria Getty Images Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius stands in the dock during the verdict in his murder trial in Pretoria Getty Images Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Pistorius's defense lawyer Barry Roux Oscar Pistorius's defense lawyer Barry Roux arrives at court in Pretoria AP Photo/Jerome Delay Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Henke Pistorius Henke Pistorius the father of Oscar Pistorius arrives at High Court for the verdict in his son's murder trial in Pretoria EPA/Ihsaan Haffejee Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Carl Pistorious Carl Pistorious, brother of Oscar Pistorious, arrives to hear the verdict of his brothers murder trial in Pretoria EPA/KEVIN SUTHERLAND Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures June and Barry Steenkamp Reeva Steenkamp's mother and father, Barry Steenkamp (2-L) and June Steenkamp (2-R), arrive for the verdict in Oscar Pistorious murder trial in Pretoria EPA/KEVIN SUTHERLAND Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Oscar Pistorius supporter A woman holds up a banner in support of Oscar Pistorius as he arrives at court in Pretoria Christopher Furlong/Getty Images Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius arrives at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria REUTERS/Rogan Ward Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius arrives at the High Court in Pretoria Getty Images Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Barry Steenkamp Barry Steenkamp, father of Reeva Steenkamp, arrives to hear the verdict in the trial of Oscar Pistorius at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria REUTERS/Rogan Ward Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures June Steenkamp June Steenkamp, mother of dead model, Reeva Steenkamp, waits for Oscar Pistorius during the verdict in his murder trial in Pretoria AFP Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius arrives for the verdict in his murder trial at the high court in Pretoria REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius arrives for the verdict in his murder trial at the high court in Pretoria Reuters Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius arrives at the Pretoria High Court Getty Images

The trial spanned six and a half months. If he is found guilty of premeditated murder, he faces 25 years in prison. A lesser charge of culpable homicide could see him imprisoned for 15 years or a non-custodial sentence. " [Pistorius] is obviously devastated, I think it’s very important to set out that Oscar admits to having shot - and obviously as a result of that - Reeva died, but he’s also very clear in that it was a very tragic accident, that he didn’t intend to, and he believed someone was in the house,” continued Williams-Thomas during an interview on This Morning.