Oscar Pistorius would 'break' in prison, pushes restitution instead

PRETORIA, South Africa, Oct. 14 (UPI) -- Witnesses for Oscar Pistorius warned his disabilities would leave him vulnerable in prison, arguing at a sentencing hearing that he should instead by placed under house arrest or pay a significant fine.

Pistorius was convicted last month of the culpable homicide of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, in February 2013. The sentence, akin to manslaughter, carries a maximum 15-year sentence.

"The exposure of the accused to the inmates on his stumps will have severe negative effects on the accused," probation officer and social worker Annette Vergeer told the High Court in Pretoria Tuesday.

"It will only have a negative impact and in fact place him in danger," she said. "It will not assist him, it will break him."

Vergeer said the cement and slippery floors would pose a challenge to the "Blade Runner," leaving him vulnerable to the sodomy and rape that are all-too frequent in South Africa's overcrowded prisons.

"He does not appear to be such a danger to society that he should be removed," she said. "The impact of the death of the deceased has been a far worse on him... Psychological treatment in the prison will be negative. It will break him further."

While the defense has been pushing for a fine, their strategy may have hit a wall when prosecutors revealed in court Tuesday that Pistorius had been making payments to Steenkamp's parents each month since March 2013 -- but that the Steenkamps would refuse the money.

Prosecutor Gerrie Nel said the Steenkamps had "no intention" of keeping the 6,000 rand ($542) he's paid them each month. Nor would they take the 375,000 rand ($33,881) he received by selling his car, calling the funds "blood money."