Oscar Pistorius granted bail by chief magistrate

South African Olympic and Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius, who stands accused of murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, has been released on bail by Magistrate Desmond Nair.

Pistorius denies murder, saying he shot Reeva Steenkamp thinking she was an intruder at his home.

Reeva Steenkamp, 29, was a model and law graduate with a burgeoning television career.

The prosecution argued that bail should be refused because there was a risk Mr Pistorius, 26, would abscond, however Nair, who took almost two hours to deliver his judgement, said the state had not been able to prove that he would flee, or that he had a violent character.

The bail has been set at 1 million Rand - 100,000 to be paid in cash immediately followed by 900,000 in guarantees and sureties by next Friday.