The Paralympian lowered his head in his hands as forensics expert Roger Dixon gave evidence for a second day.

He said a bullet that hit the 29-year-old's arm caused such damage it was like "an instant amputation".

Other bullets and fragments damaged her skull, he told the court.

Pistorius fired four shots through the toilet door of his Pretoria home in the early hours of February 14 last year.

Three of the bullets hit model and law graduate Steenkamp.

Pistorius admits killing her but says he did so accidentally thinking she was an intruder.

Dixon contradicted evidence from a ballistics expert - who had been called by the prosecution earlier in the trial - saying he had concluded Steenkamp was standing at an angle to the door when the four shots were fired in quick succession.

Forensics expert Roger Dixon was challenged on his credibility by prosecutor Gerrie Nel ©AFP/Getty Images



That differs to the prosecution's account that she was facing the door when she was shot because the couple were arguing.

The court also heard sound recordings made by Dixon of a cricket bat striking the door – as Pistorius says he did to get into the toilet after firing the shots – from a distance of 60 and 180 metres.

Recordings from the same distance were also played of gunshots.

The defence argue the sounds are similar, casting doubt on the accounts of neighbours of Pistorius.

Some neighbours have told the court they heard a woman scream followed by gun shots.

Prosecutor Gerrie Nel challenged Dixon on his qualifications as a forensics witness.

Nel called him "irresponsible" and accused him of giving evidence without having read the post-mortem report in full.

Earlier, the judge agreed to an application to postpone the case after tomorrow until May 5.

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