Pistorius has ‘heightened fight response’

Double-amputee Olympic and Paralympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius can’t flee dangerous situations and has a "heightened fight response" due to his disability, a defence witness told his murder trial.

Pistorius, who had his lower-legs amputated at birth, could face life in prison if he is found guilty of murdering his law graduate and model girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, whom he shot and killed at his home in Pretoria on Valentine’s Day last year.

His defence team have sought throughout the trial to portray Pistorius as a vulnerable individual who killed 29-year-old Ms Steenkamp accidentally after mistaking her for an intruder hiding behind a closed toilet door.