Amputee South African Athlete Actually Shot His Girl Friend In Bathgroom

South African athletics star, Oscar Pistorius shot his girlfriend three times as she was in the bathroom at his home, prosecutors have said.

Details of the case against Pistorius, accused of the premeditated murder of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, are emerging at a bail hearing, reports the BBC.

He wept as he heard the account, but his lawyers told the court in Pretoria the killing was "not even murder".

The court appearance comes on the same day as her funeral in Port Elizabeth.

The prosecution is pursuing a charge of premeditated murder against the 26-year-old athlete.

Prosecutor Gerrie Nel told the court that on the night of the killing Pistorius - a double amputee - got up, put on his prostheses, walked seven metres and fired his gun through the bathroom door.

He shot four times and hit Ms Steenkamp three times, he said. The defendant later broke down the bathroom door and carried the victim downstairs,  Nel added.

Defence lawyer Barry Roux told the court his client did not know in advance who was behind the door.

He said the prosecution had provided "no evidence of premeditated murder", and that it was not even murder.

Pistorius was sobbing as his lawyer spoke, the BBC's Andrew Harding reports from the courtroom.

Following Thursday's killing there was media speculation that Ms Steenkamp had been mistaken for an intruder but police rejected that possibility.

The family of the 29-year-old victim spoke of their grief in a newspaper interview published on Monday.

Her mother June Steenkamp told the Times of South Africa: "All we want are answers... answers as to why this had to happen, why our beautiful daughter had to die like this."

The case has aroused huge interest both in South Africa, where Oscar Pistorius is regarded as a national hero, and around the world.

Pistorius, a multiple Paralympic champion, competed in both the Olympic and Paralympic Games at London 2012.