The South African shot Steenkamp multiple times through a bathroom door on Valentine's Day last year after, he claims, mistaking her for an intruder in their Pretoria home.

During the court session today Pistorius allegedly turned to Kim Myers, a close friend of Steenkamp who was among those to identify her body after her death, and asked her, "How can you sleep at night?"

Pistorius flatly denies saying this but witnesses, including a police officer, claimed they heard the exchange as he left the dock during an adjournment.

A complaint has now been lodged with South Africa's national prosecuting authority.

"My client Kim Myers was approached by Oscar Pistorius in court today and, in a very sinister tone, was asked: 'how can you sleep at night?',"  reported lawyer Ian Levitt.

"My client views this unwelcome approach as extremely disturbing and I have been in communication with the national prosecuting authorities as well as the investigating officer.

"All other parties have been informed.

"My client will remain focused on the trial and will continue to attend court in support of Reeva."

Friends of Reeva Steenkamp listen to evidence being given on the latest day of the trial
©Getty Images



Levitt suggested Pistorius may have been upset by interviews Myers and her family had previously given to the media in which they expressed concerns about the intensity of his relationship with Steenkamp.

But when questioned about the claim, Pistorius denied he had spoken to them and insisted he "hadn't for a year-and-a-half" and that he "walks past them in the corridors and holds doors open for them but they don't look me in the eye".

Brian Webber, a member of Pistorius's legal team, added that the latest claims were "grossly untrue" and that his 27-year-old client "never said anything of the sort".

On the second day following the resumption of the trial after a two week break for Easter, three of Pistorius's closest neighbours all testified hearing a man crying on the night Steenkamp was shot and described it as a "high-pitched cry".

All three added that they did not hear a woman screaming.

The court was also told, by a friend of the six-time Paralympic champion Michael Nhlengethwa, that Pistorius had introduced Steenkamp to him as "my fiancée" days before she was killed and that the athlete would be moving to Johannesburg to be closer to her.

These claims, and the repercussions of them, will now be explored further in a trial expected to last for some time yet.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
May 2014: Pistorius was "broken" as he held the body of dead girlfriend, claims neighbour
April 2014: Forensics expert's testimony called into question at Pistorius murder trial
April 2014: Pistorius murder trial hears graphic details of Steenkamp's injuries
April 2014: Pistorius fired gun with "sole purpose" of killing girfriend
April 2014: Pistorius "inventing" evidence and using emotion "as an escape", court told