Olympic and Paralympic track star Oscar Pistorius was yesterday convicted of culpable homicide — the equivalent Irish legal term is manslaughter — escaping the more serious charge of murder for the killing of his girlfriend, and will now battle to avoid going to prison.

The defence team for Oscar Pistorius plans to close its case this morning after its last witness, a physician who has treated the athlete, completed his testimony at the murder trial, a lawyer said.

Paralympic icon Oscar Pistorius was yesterday granted bail by a South African magistrate, pending a high-profile trial for killing his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp.