Johan Stipp, a doctor and neighbour of the 27-year-old South African Paralympic sprinting champion, gave the trial's first account of the moments that followed the fatal 2013 Valentine's Day shooting of Reeva Steenkamp.

Pistorius, who denies intentionally killing the 29-year-old model, cried as he heard Stipp describe the harrowing details of the moments that followed after he had been woken by screams and gunshots and went to the athlete's home to investigate.

"I remember the first thing he said when I got there was: 'I shot her. I thought she was a burglar. I shot her.'" Stipp told the Pretoria courtroom.

"Oscar was crying all the time.

"He was praying to God [saying] 'Please let her live'."

He went on to say he had tried to revive Steenkamp but that "it was obvious she was mortally wounded".

Oscar Pistorius shot and killed Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine's Day 2013
©AFP/Getty Images


He also added that he was concerned Pistorius was going to harm himself as the gun used in the shooting had not yet been recovered.

"I noticed that Oscar was going upstairs and I asked Mr Stander [the housing complex manager] if he knew where the gun was because it was obvious that Oscar was emotionally very, very upset," he explained.

"I didn't know the situation in the house so I thought maybe he was going to hurt himself."

Pistorius is charged with premeditated murder and if found guilty could face life imprisonment.

He claims he fired the shots through the bathroom as he thought there was an intruder in the house.

If found guilty, Oscar Pistorius could face life imprisonment ©AFP/Getty Images


Three witnesses, including Stipp, have now said they head women's screams coming from Pistorius' home, however, the defence says all the screams came from the athlete himself.

The trial is adjourned until tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the Advertising Standards Authority has ordered Paddy Power to pull a controversial press advertisement featuring Pistorius, which offered refunds for losing bets if he is found not guilty of murder, after it received an "unprecedented" 5,200 complaints.

The ad showed an image of the athlete superimposed on a statue of an Oscar award, with the wording, "It's Oscar Time. Money back if he walks. We will refund all losing bets on the Oscar Pistorius trial if he is found not guilty" next to it.

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