Oscar Family Loved And Receive The Model.

Ahead of case, his sister Aimee told South African television station eNCA that "we could never understand or even attempt to comprehend" what Miss Steenkamp's parents are going through.

She said: "It's an impossible situation and we could never understand, but it’s important for us that they know she was very much cared for and loved and accepted as part of our family in the short time she was with us.

"If you knew Reeva you didn’t need to know her for very long for her to just creep into your heart.

"She had a wonderful charisma and zest for life that she just exuded and it was easy to fall in love with her."

After a marathon trial, Judge Masipa decided Pistorius did not intend to kill his girlfriend when he fired four shots through his bathroom door on Valentine’s Day 2013.

Pistorius said he mistook her for an intruder and thought they were both in danger.

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Video: From Hero To Convicted Killer

He no longer faces the prospect of life in jail with 25 years without parole, which is the sentence for premeditated murder.

At Pistorius' sentencing hearing last week, his lawyer Barry Roux said the athlete had "lost everything" after what happened, and argued he should not go to prison.

Instead, Mr Roux told the court, Pistorius should be put under house arrest and carry out correctional supervision - community service.

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Video: Pistorius: From Boy To Icon

However, prosecutor Gerrie Nel argued he should be jailed for a minimum of 10 years and called a house arrest sentence "shockingly disproportionate".

The model's cousin, Kim Martin, also told the court Pistorius needs to "pay for what he'd done" and warned a lenient sentence would send the wrong message to society.