Pistorius jailed for 6 years for murder of girlfriend

By Reuters/TJ Strydom July 6, 2016 | 05:40 am PT

Paralympic gold medalist Oscar Pistorius walks across the courtroom without his prosthetic legs during the third day of the resentencing hearing for the 2013 murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, at Pretoria High Court, South Africa June 15, 2016. Photo by Reuters/Siphiwe Sibeko/File Photo

South African Paralympic gold medalist will serve "between half and two thirds of the sentence."

South African Paralympic gold medalist Oscar Pistorius was taken to jail immediately on Wednesday after being sentenced to serve six years for the 2013 murder of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp.

The state had called for him to receive no less than the prescribed minimum 15-year sentence for murder.

"Public opinion may be loud and persistent, but it can play no role in the decision of this court," High Court judge Thokozile Masipa said in her ruling. (Reporting by TJ Strydom; Editing by James Macharia)

Pistorius will not appeal a six-year prison sentence given by the Court judge, his defense team said.

Pistorius will serve "between half and two thirds of the sentence" before he can apply for parole, said Andrew Fawcett, Pistorius' instructing attorney.