Oscar Trial: Day 17 summary

The seventeenth day of the Oscar Pistorius murder trial began with testimony by former state pathologist Dr Jan Botha.

Botha, testifying for the defence, said that the science of determining the time of Reeva Steenkamp's last meal using gastric emptying was an inexact and controversial branch of pathology.

He said that the conclusion of pathologist Gert Saayman, who performed an autopsy on Steenkamp, that she had eaten a meal one to two hours before her death was not possible to ascertain with any certainty.

In his subsequent testimony related to the determination of the order of shots based on his examination of the wounds on Steenkamp's body, Botha agreed with previous evidence by the state's ballistics expert, Captain Christian Mangena, that the first shot had hit Steenkamp in the hip and the fourth shot was a fatal shot to the head.

Pistorius, who seemingly struggled to keep his composure during Botha's testimony, watched as prosecutor Gerrie Nel revealed why his nickname is "the bulldog" during his cross-examination of Botha.

Nel repeatedly asked Botha why he had made deductions about the order of shots without reference to the bullet holes on Pistorius's bathroom door. He succeeded in getting the pathologist to admit that Saayman's conclusion regarding the time of Steenkamp's last meal "might be right or might be wrong."

Nel's cross-examination continues after the tea adjournment.

The defence announced earlier today that it will call between 14 and 17 witnesses to testify to issues such as ballistics, blood spatter, lighting and visibility, vulnerability and disability.

It was the moment the world had been waiting for when a nervous Oscar Pistorius took the stand on the seventeenth day of his murder trial.

Pistorius is accused of murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in the early hours of Valentine's Day last year. He has previously claimed that he mistook her for an intruder.

Pistorius began by asking the court to tender an apology. He trembled and was close to tears as he turned his gaze towards Steenkamp's mother June, who was sitting in the gallery. He apologised to her and her husband, Barry, saying that the Steenkamps were "the first people I think of when I wake up in the morning and the first people I pray for".

Pistorius said that he was sorry that he "had not been able to protect Reeva" and that he was trying to protect her from the intruders he believed had entered his house.

Pistorius testified that since last year he has been on medication, including antidepressants and sleeping pills, and that he has trouble sleeping. He said that he often woke up in the middle of the night, "smelling blood" and experiencing nightmares related to the incident.

He told the court that he "never wants to handle a gun again" and that, although he sleeps with a security guard outside his door, he still often woke up terrified when hearing noises. He described an incident where he was so scared that he climbed into his bedroom cupboard before phoning his sister Aimee to come and help him calm down.

Pistorius's lawyer, Barry Roux, then lead the Paralympian through a history of his upbringing and his decision to become a professional athlete.

More calm than during his apology, Pistorius spoke of the profound effect of his mother’s death when he was 15 and of almost losing his life during a boating accident on the Vaal River in 2009.

He said that the incident had made him more vigilant, withdrawn and serious about his sport, and that reports that he was drunk at the time were untrue and upsetting.

He also testified that while growing up with his mother, she had been security conscious because his father was often away, and that she had kept a pistol in a padded bag under her pillow for protection.

Pistorius will continue testifying after the lunch adjournment.

A visibly emotional and exhausted Oscar Pistorius was granted an early adjournment on the seventeenth day of his murder trial in Pretoria.

Prosecutor Gerrie Nel accepted a request by Pistorius's lawyer Barry Roux for an early adjournment, provided this did not become "a regular occurrence".

Pistorius earlier testified about various incidents in which he claims to have been a victim of crime. These included a break-in at his previous house in 2005, while he was away in England competing in the Manchester Paralympic World Cup; an incident in which he had been shot at while driving on the highway to Pretoria from Johannesburg; and several instances where he was followed home.

Pistorius also testified that he had intervened in an incident in the parking lot of a shopping centre in Menlyn, Pretoria, where he stopped two men from assaulting a woman, as well as another incident in which he had helped a taxi driver who had been assaulted.

The Paralympian told the court that he was so "bowled over" by Reeva Steenkamp that he had made an offer on a house in Johannesburg in December 2012 in order to be closer to her.

Pistorius became tearful and emotional when speaking about the importance of his religion. He said that religion was the one thing that had helped him through the last year and that Steenkamp was a strong Christian, which was one of the reasons for their strong relationship. When the adjournment was granted, a tearful Pistorius was comforted in the witness box by his brother Carl and sister Aimee before leaving court.

His testimony will continue tomorrow morning.