In Pictures: Roux has Oscar stand on stumps to display his vulnerability

Double-amputee Oscar Pistorius stood in front of the courtroom in Pretoria as his counsel Barry Roux wanted the presiding officer to look at the person who must be sentenced.

“I want the accused to stand there so that we can have an idea of who this person is‚” Roux said as Pistorius moved from the dock to a position in front of Judge Thokozile Masipa

“It is 3am in the morning. It is dark. He suffers from anxiety disorder. We understand his balance was severely compromised. This must all be seen in the context of his disability‚” Roux said.

“It does not mean that because he is vulnerable he must do whatever he likes.

“Let us understand when you combine these factors. It is not a man who is running with two healthy legs who wants to protect his girlfriend.”

Pistorius was initially found guilty of culpable homicide for shooting and killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on February 14‚ 2013.

This conviction was set aside by the Supreme Court of Appeal in December last year and replaced with a murder conviction.

The appeal court referred the matter back to the High Court in Pretoria to consider an appropriate sentence.

Roux was presenting arguments in the sentencing proceedings and said there were compelling circumstances for the court to depart from the minimum prescribed sentence of 15 years for murder.

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