Oscar Pistorius sentence: Siblings vow to stand by athlete 'regardless of outcome'

Carl and Aimee Pistorius have spoken out on the eve of Oscar Pistorius’s sentencing, vowing to support their brother, "regardless of the outcome”.

The athlete will today be sentenced the killing of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day 2013. Pistorius was convicted of culpable homicide by Judge Thokozile Masipa but cleared of murder, who will decide if he should serve a custodial sentence for the killing.

In an interview with ITV News on Monday, Carl insisted his brother, who has been visibly emotional throughout the trial, is genuine, telling the broadcaster: “What you see is what you get - he's real."

The Paralympian's sister also said she has no doubt in her brother at all, who claims he believed Ms Steenkamp was an intruder when he shot her behind a locked bathroom door. “I have the privileged position of knowing his strengths and his faults, as you do when you are close as we are”, she said.

"When I first heard what happened my first reaction was shock and devastation and extreme heartache. My first thoughts were that - knowing my brother, the kind of person he is and his fears - he must have thought it was an intruder.

"(I thought that) before I even knew any of the facts."

She said the truth had been "twisted, manipulated and sensationalised".

In a separate interview with South African broadcaster eCNA, Aimee said her brother will carry this situation with him "for the rest of his life".

Prosecutors say Pistorius should serve a minimum sentence of ten years in jail, while the Paralympian’s defence counsel have called for a community sentence or house arrest.

Carl said the family cannot speculate as to what sentence he will receive, but added: “What I do know for certain is that regardless of the outcome the three of us will stand together and continue to stand together like we always have.”