Pistorius accused of premeditated murder (photos of his girlfriend's funeral ceremony)

Oscar Pistorius today gave a horrifying account of the night he shot dead his girlfriend claiming he mistook her for a burglar when he woke up in the middle of the night. In a statement read out to Pretoria magistrates court, the Paralympic athlete said he had been on the balcony of his house when he heard noises from the bathroom.

Believing Reeva Steenkamp was asleep in bed, he grabbed his gun and shouted a warning before firing four shots through the door, a judge was told. Daily Mail reports.

It was only then, Pistorius claims that he realised Miss Steenkamp was not in bed.

'I kicked the door open,' he said. 'I tried to help her but she died in my arms.'

Pistorius is now spending a sixth night in jail until the hearing begins again tomorrow - today he sobbed uncontrollably and at one point the magistrate stopped the proceedings to allow him to regain his composure and have an energy drink.

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