Oscar Pistorius.

Just about everyone has had their say about this horrendous death of Reeva Steenkamp. Many of his previous fans have turned against him. Comments in the on-line papers have shown this. I have swung one way and another as police have leaked information. I have known little of Pistorius except of his athletic success and what I know is what I have learned in the last week.

He was born without functioning lower legs yet he has been able to achieve so much. Much more than able bodied athletes, even it appears that he played rugby and scored a try after his legs had come off in a tackle. He had become a role model for so many others with disabilities and even for those without.

My argument now is how could such a man suddenly murder a girl who was so beautiful and by all accounts a wonderful person. This beggars belief. Someone that had gone through so much and overcome his disability so courageously.

His defence is that he thought she was in intruder. At first thought this seemed implausible. In a compound with such tight security he should be safe.

South Africa is so crime ridden that it seems everyone is living on the edge and has become paranoid about it. I left South Africa in 1997 and living on a farm felt I was a sitting duck. I had alarms, several guns including a semi automatic army rifle.

One night way back in the 1970’s we had friends from Rhodesia staying with us. Our friend Alistair decided to visit the toilet in the middle of the night. On the way back he had to pass our room but mistook it for his. I was awoken by the noise and only saw this dark silhouette in front of me. I shouted to my wife to give me the gun, but fortunately in time she realised what was going on.

Pistorius awoke on hearing the noise reacted instinctively. Reeva didn’t normally stay with him but that night he woke from a deep sleep and maybe did not at that very moment recall that she was in his house. He was more paranoid than most as he was completely helpless without his legs. Of the actual shooting there seems to be some agreement.Its just not possible for it to be premeditated murder.