Judge Thokozile Masipa sentences Oscar Pistorius to 5 years in prison, 3 years suspended for gun charges, to run concurrently.
South African athlete Oscar Pistorius has been jailed for five years for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
Under South African law, he will have to serve at least one-sixth of his sentence — 10 months — before he can ask to be considered for parole.
Judge Thokozile Masipa, issuing the ruling in court in Pretoria, also gave Pistorius a three-year suspended sentence for a firearms charge. Pistorius has been taken to the cells.
The prosecution had called for a minimum 10-year sentence; the defence for community service and house arrest.
Pistorius was convicted of culpable homicide but cleared of murder.
Judge Masipa began reading the sentence by saying that, although she had been aided by assessors, the decision was hers and hers alone.
She said: “Sentencing is about achieving the right balance. Sentencing is not a perfect exercise.”
She said there must be a balance between retribution, deterrence and rehabilitation.
The judge then summarised the evidence brought before the trial.
She described the evidence of defence witness and social worker Annette Vergeer as “slapdash and disappointing”.
However, she said Pistorius had made an “enormous contribution to society”, in his charity work and in changing the public perception of disability.
The judge then read out a quote from previous legal opinion, saying that if sentences were too lenient, the administration of justice may fall into disrepute.
Although experts says the typical maximum sentence for culpable homicide is around 15 years.
However, despite the sentencing being announced, the case may not be over. Either of the party can still appeal against sentencing.