Pistorius serene as court finds him guilty of culpable homicide

South African athlete Oscar Pistorius showed no emotion as he was found guilty of culpable homicide this morning.

Reading out her judgment, Judge Thokozile Masipa said “the accused acted negligently in shooting at the toilet  door…A reasonable person therefore, in the position of the accused with similar disabilities would have foreseen that the possibility that whoever was behind the door might be killed by the shots and would have taken steps to avoid the consequences and the accused in this matter failed to take those consequences."

The ruling comes a day after he was aquitted of murdering his girlfriend earlier this year.

Under South African law, the maximum prison sentence for culpable homicide is 15 years, however there is no minimum term and sentencing is at the discretion of the judge.

Pistorius has also been found guilty of discharging a firearm in a public place, which carries a maximum jail term of five years.

Both state and defence are expected to make submissions to the judge ahead of sentencing, which will not take place today.