The mother of the model shot dead by Oscar Pistorius has spoken of her relief after the paralympian athlete was sentenced to five years in prison. June Steenkamp told HELLO! in a world exclusive interview moments after the trial ended in South Africa: "It was the best sentence we could have expected.
"We're not looking for vengeance or for him to get hurt; we're just happy because he's going to be punished for what he's done. He may come out early on good behaviour, but by the time he’s served that time, it will have taught him that he can't go around doing things like that. "I believe Oscar expected to go to prison," continued June, who has attended every day of the court case. "He was almost resigned to what was coming. It was obvious in the court from his manner; he was calm and wasn't performing." June's daughter Reeva Steenkamp, 29 , was shot dead on Valentine's Day 2013 in the early hours of the morning in the athlete's bathroom.
Last month Judge Thokozile Masipa ruled that Pistorius did not intend to kill his girlfriend but acted negligently and with excessive force. As the ashen-faced athlete, who also received three years suspended for a firearm charge, was led down to the cells June, 67, glanced over at him and smiled with relief for the first time since the seven-month trial began. She added to HELLO!: "It's been a terrible, long journey." Says Reeva's father Barry: "We're both satisfied with the result and are relieved it's all over. All we want to do now is get on with our lives. "I'm looking forward to going home to my horses," continues the 71-year-old horse trainer, who runs a small stable near the coastal town of Port Elizabeth. "They haven't seen me for nearly two weeks, but I’ll be back with them by the end of the week."
For June, how she intends to move on into the future without her beloved daughter remains clear – she plans to carry on with Reeva's wishes of setting up a refuge for abused women and will call it The Reeva Foundation in her name. "I'll be busy making this happen and helping the women who Reeva wanted to rescue," she says. "In this way we'll keep Reeva's name alive." © HELLO!.INTERVIEW: Sally Morgan For a full interview with June and Barry Steenkamp, don't miss next week’s HELLO!, on sale from Monday 27 October.
