Oscar Pistorius prosecutors demand longer sentence

South African athlete Oscar Pistorius appears in Pretoria Magistrates Court for an indictment hearing on August 19, 2013
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South Africa's National Prosecuting Authority says that it will pursue a lengthier jail sentence for Oscar Pistorius.

South Africa's National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has announced that it will appeal for a longer jail term for convicted murderer Oscar Pistorius.

The Paralympic sprinting champion is currently serving a six-year jail sentence for fatally shooting his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp through a bathroom door at their shared home on Valentine's Day 2013.

Pistorius was initially convicted of manslaughter, before the sentence was upgraded to murder and he was handed a reduced term of six years in prison.

In a statement on Thursday, the NPA said that the conviction was "shockingly too lenient and has accordingly resulted in an injustice and has the potential to bring the administration of justice into disrepute".

The crime typically comes with a minimum sentence of 15 years but Pistorius was handed a reduced term by Pretoria High Court judge Thokozile Masipa due to 'mitigating factors'.

Oscar Pistorius sits inside the dock at the high court in Pretoria ahead of sentencing on June 13, 2016
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