Today is a good day to tell you that… I love you': Pistorius sobs as he reads Valentine's card from Reeva he received on night he shot her

Reeva Steenkamp (top left) gave the Paralympian the card and framed pictures of the pair in loving poses as a gift (both pictured, centre, and, bottom left, before they were opened) on the evening of February 13 last year, hours before he gunned her down. Choking back tears, Pistorius (right) was asked to read out the message and also described how the envelope was addressed to 'Ozzy' with 'some hearts and a squiggle' on it. The card was signed 'Reeves' with a smiley face and three kisses. The message was presented to the court by his lawyer to counter prosecution claims that the couple were not in a loving relationship at the time of the shooting.


Pistorius testified he fired four shots through the toilet door after hearing a "wood" sound that he mistook for the door being opened by a possible assailant. Pistorius said that, in retrospect, he probably heard a magazine holder being moved by his girlfriend.
“After sometime, my mother called him on the telephone, but he did not pick. After trying for hours without success, my mother informed me and I also started calling him but his phone just kept on ringing. Just before we were about to report the matter to the police, someone finally picked up to say my brother had been arrested and we should come to Ipaja Police Division.
The Paralympian said he was 'screaming for the Lord to help me' while holding the cocked 9mm pistol he used to kill Reeva Steenkamp as he tried to knock down the door.
When that failed, he said he put the gun on the bathmat and went to fetch a cricket bat to break it open.
He told his murder trial: 'I was crying and screaming, “Reeva, Reeva”. I was overcome with terror and despair.'
The double amputee broke down when a picture of Miss Steenkamp slumped on the toilet bowl after she was shot was shown to him.
Describing how he found her, he told the court: 'She was seated on her right buttock with her left arm on top of the toilet bowl. Her head was on her shoulder.'
Mr Nel began the fifth day of cross-examination in the same vein as he pursued yesterday's interrogation by pointing to alleged discrepancies in the athlete's version of events.
The prosecutor noted that last year Pistorius said he opened fire out of fear after hearing a 'movement' in the toilet cubicle - Mr Nel said the choice of word suggested the athlete had heard a person behind the closed toilet door.

Since the bail statement, Pistorius has said he fired after hearing a 'wood abrasion' sound which he interpreted as a possible intruder opening the toilet door to attack him.
Mr Nel told the runner: 'There's no indication that you thought they (perceived intruders) were opening the door in your bail application.
'You are thinking of a version constantly and not dealing with the question.
'It's getting more and more improbable and you're tailoring more and more as we go on.'
Mr Nel also alleged that Pistorius ringing security soon after the shooting and telling them things were 'ok' because he didn't want them to come to the apartment.