'Stammering' Pistorius offers 'tearful' apology to Reeva's parents during 'defence' stand

Paralympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius had reportedly offered a tearful apology to the family of his slain girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, as he took the witness stand in his defence at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria.

The Paralympic gold medallist is accused of premeditated murder of Steenkamp, but claims he shot the model though a locked toilet door believing she was an intruder.

According to Telegraph.com.au, in a stammering voice and with a trembling jaw, Pistorius told the court he did not intend to kill Steenkamp last year on Valentine's Day and also apologised to Steenkamp's parents, saying that he was trying to 'protect' her.

At times barely audible as he sobbed, the Blade Runner further said that he wants people to know that Steenkamp 'was loved' when they went to bed that fateful night, adding that although he tried to write his apology in a letter to the model's parents, he knew that no words 'could ever suffice'.

In the tribunal, the report mentioned that Steenkamp's mother June, flanked by other relatives, sat stony-faced during the apology while the athlete cut a broken and emotional figure as he spoke publicly for the first time about events on the night Steenkamp died.

Pistorius has hired an extensive team of forensic experts to describe the events in the early hours of February 14, 2013, including an American animation firm that will visually depict the crime scene using three-dimensional computer generated images, the report added.