Cash-Strapped Oscar Pistorius Sells Home Where He Shot Reeva Steenkamp Dead

Oscar Pistorius has accepted a hefty loss on the sale of the home in which he shot Reeva Steenkamp, as the fallen idol struggles to cover his legal costs.

Murder-accused Pistorius sold the property on a gated community in Pretoria for £250,000 (4.5m Rand), which is reportedly around two-thirds of what he hoped it would fetch on the market.

The 27-year-old disabled athlete has been hit with huge bills for his expensively assembled legal team and the trial has run far longer than the three weeks expected when it began in March.

Pistorius has also sold several other properties as well as racehourses to fund his case, according to previous reports.

The Palaympic champion is awaiting the verdict in his murder trial, which is expected next week. He could rack up yet more legal costs if he chooses to appeal any guilty verdicts on any one of a number of charges.

Pistorius is currently living at his uncle Arnold's house and has never returned to the property since gunning down Steenkamp in a hail of bullets on Valentine's Day, last year.

Bloody scenes from the toilet in which Steenkamp was killed were broadcast around the world during his trial.

Selling the home was an unusual process for the estate agent. Ansie Louw told Times Live in South Africa: "'It is not normal circumstances. It is not a normal process. But you know what some people say it doesn't bother them.

"'We were not allowed to take photos or put it onto our website. If they do open it they attract lots of people just interested in the case and it will be chaos."

South African media reported the new owner intends to move in his family and retire there.

Louwtjie Louwrens said: "It is in a safe area and everyone I dealt with was very professional. It stood empty for more than a year and there is some water damage, so we would first have to repair it."

Pistorius denies murdering Steenkamp - a model and aspiring actress. He claims he thought she was an intruder in his home. The prosecution allege he blasted her to death in a fit of rage following an argument.