Pistorius was convicted of culpable homicide last month after shooting dead his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine Day's last year, but was cleared of murder.

There is no legal limit on the length of a jail term, but the prosecution has argued for a minimum sentence of 10 years.

"The minimum term that society will be happy with will be 10 years' imprisonment," prosecutor Gerrie Nel told the North Gauteng High Court.

"This is a serious matter.

"The negligence borders on intent.

"Ten years is the minimum."

Pistorius' defence team has argued for him to be given community service and house arrest, a suggestion the prosecution said would be "shockingly disproportionate".

The six-time Paralympic champion shot four times through a locked toilet door in his home in Pretoria, hitting Steenkamp in the head, arm and hip.

Oscar Pistorius wept as defence lawyer, Barry Roux, described his suffering since the incident ©Getty Images



"The deceased died in a small cubicle behind a closed door," Nel said.

"Three bullets ripped through her body.

"When I think about that, it must have been horrific."

Nel went on to criticise the use of Pistorius' disability in arguments for a shorter sentence.

"I find it disturbing that a person who fought to compete with able-bodied athletes now shamelessly uses disability in mitigation," he said.

The South African wept as he sat in the dock behind his defence lawyer Barry Roux, who described the athlete's suffering since the incident and said he could not even afford to pay for legal expenses.

"He's lost everything," said Roux, who asked Judge Masipa to consider the South African principle of "Ubuntu", roughly translated as kindness towards others, in her sentencing.

"He was an icon in the eyes of South Africans. 

"What has happened to this man?

"He was on the rise."

Judge Masipa said court would resume at 9.30am on Tuesday, when she is expected to pronounce sentence and bring the seven-month trial to an end.

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