To Oscar with love & hate

Murder accused Oscar Pistorius reciprocated the love shown him by his ardent supporters by reportedly giving his autograph with the inscription: "Thank You for your Love & Kindness" as he left the Pretoria High Court yesterday.

A picture of the autograph was posted on Twitter by Sky News special correspondent Alex Crawford, who is based in South Africa.

And a Facebook group - Support for Oscar, which endorses him - boasts just over 9000 "likes".

Some in the group vehemently disagreed with prosecutor Gerrie Nel's assertion to Pistorius that "a reasonable individual would have asked the one in bed with him [Reeva] if she had heard a noise" [before shooting].

Jacquie Bate wrote: "Quite often at night hubby goes walkabout around the house because he's 'heard something'. Sometimes his movement wakes me up and I'll get up to go to the loo. Most often, no words are spoken by either of us.

"I guess we're abnormal because 'reasonable people' would ask each other what they're doing up . I'm just glad we don't own a gun."

Amanda Lubbe Snyman said: " My husband and I get up a lot during the night; we never ask: 'Where are you going?' Nell is a Big Bully, he knows he can say things to Oscar [ that] he cannot argue with."

But members of another group on Facebook, "Justice Seekers - Reeva Steenkamp shot by Oscar Pistorius Blade Runner" - with just under 6500 likes, were not moved by Pistorius's tearful recollection of what he shouted at the "intruders". Pistorius said he shouted that they must "get the f**k out of my house".

Anita Sayer-Hickson said: "He was probably screaming at Reeva 'Get the f**k out of my house' and not at the burglar. The stupid bloody fool! Oh this Pistorius is a brain drain."

Bianca McCallaghan encouraged Steenkamp supporters to wear red and to post pictures of themselves on Twitter.

Yesterday Pistorius's supporters greeted him outside court, carrying white balloons.