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Oscar Pistorius's family have claimed the athlete is engaging in “self-harming behaviour” following his involvement in a night club brawl in Johannesburg.
His uncle, Leo Pistorius, challenged “outrageous” claims about the altercation, when an acquaintance called Jared Mortimer allegedly “aggressively engaged” the Paralympian about his murder trial.
Mortimer claimed Pistorius was drunk and “very aggressive” on the night out at VIP Room, which came days after the final evidence was heard in his trial for shooting Reeva Steenkamp.
“Whilst Oscar venturing out into a public space with his cousin, in the current climate and whilst his court case is still underway, was unwise, those of us closest to him have been witness to his escalating sense of loneliness and alienation,” Pistorius said.
“This, we believe, is underlying some of his self-harming behaviour.”
He added that Pistorius’ family are counselling the runner, who became the first amputee to compete in the Olympics in 2012, to deal with his “feelings of isolation”.
Pistorius denied his nephew was the aggressor in the incident and claimed witnesses could back him up.
He added: ”We do however believe that Oscar is grappling with an extreme level of emotional pain that is manifesting itself in some of his recent unwise actions and choices.“
Pistorius has also denied getting into a fight and poking Mortimer in the chest.
Show all 37 1 /37In pictures: Oscar Pistorius trial resumes In pictures: Oscar Pistorius trial resumes Oscar Pistorius trial Oscar Pistorius listens to evidence in court in Pretoria. The murder trial of Pistorius resumed, after one month during which mental health experts evaluated the athlete to determine if he has an anxiety disorder that could have influenced his actions on the night he killed girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp
In pictures: Oscar Pistorius trial resumes Oscar Pistorius trial Oscar Pistorius arrives at the High Court in Pretoria
In pictures: Oscar Pistorius trial resumes Oscar Pistorius trial Prosecutor Gerrie Nel questions a witness during the murder trial of Oscar Pistorius at the High Court in Pretoria
In pictures: Oscar Pistorius trial resumes Oscar Pistorius trial Oscar Pistorius greets a wellwisher during his murder trial in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria
In pictures: Oscar Pistorius trial resumes Oscar Pistorius trial Oscar Pistorius arrives for his murder trial in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria
In pictures: Oscar Pistorius trial resumes Oscar Pistorius trial Carl and Aimee, siblings of Oscar Pistorius, react as they attend Pistorius' ongoing murder trial in Pretoria
In pictures: Oscar Pistorius trial resumes Oscar Pistorius trial June Steenkamp the mother of Reeva Steenkamp arrives at the North Gauteng High Court for the ongoing murder trial involving Oscar Pistorius
In pictures: Oscar Pistorius trial resumes Oscar Pistorius trial Oscar Pistorius leaves the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria
In pictures: Oscar Pistorius trial resumes Oscar Pistorius trial June Steenkamp, mother of Reeva Steenkamp, arrives for the Oscar Pistorius trail at the high court in Pretoria
In pictures: Oscar Pistorius trial resumes Oscar Pistorius trial Oscar Pistorius's uncle Arnold Pistorius, reads a statement outside the high court in Pretoria. A judge ruled, that Oscar Pistorius be sent for psychiatric observation
In pictures: Oscar Pistorius trial resumes Oscar Pistorius trial Oscar Pistorius's sister Aimee Pistorius listens to Judge Thokozile Masipa during her brother's murder trial at North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria
In pictures: Oscar Pistorius trial resumes Oscar Pistorius trial Oscar Pistorius sits in the accused dock during his murder trial at North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria. A South African judge ordered that Oscar Pistorius will undergo psychiatric tests to establish if he has a "general anxiety disorder"
In pictures: Oscar Pistorius trial resumes Oscar Pistorius trial Oscar Pistorius, gestures, as he listens to psychiatric evidence for his defense, during his ongoing murder trial in Pretoria
In pictures: Oscar Pistorius trial resumes Oscar Pistorius trial Protester Caroline Trummer arrives on her motorcyle to protest outside North Gauteng High Court where Oscar Pistorius is being tried for murder in Pretoria
In pictures: Oscar Pistorius trial resumes Oscar Pistorius trial Oscar Pistorius gestures during his trial on charge of murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, at the high court in Pretoria
In pictures: Oscar Pistorius trial resumes Oscar Pistorius trial Oscar Pistorius cries during his ongoing murder trial, at the high court in Pretoria
GETTY IMAGES
In pictures: Oscar Pistorius trial resumes Oscar Pistorius trial Balistics expert for the defense Tom 'Wollie' Wolmarans (L) responds to questions during the murder trial of Oscar Pistorius at the high court in Pretoria
In pictures: Oscar Pistorius trial resumes Oscar Pistorius trial Oscar Pistorius sits in the dock during the testimony of a defence witness at his murder trial at the high court in Pretoria
In pictures: Oscar Pistorius trial resumes Oscar Pistorius trial Defence lawyer Barry Roux questions a witness during the trial of Olympic and Paralympic track star Oscar Pistorius in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria
In pictures: Oscar Pistorius trial resumes Oscar Pistorius trial Prosecutor Gerrie Nel listenst to a defence witness during the murder trial of Oscar Pistorius at the high court in Pretoria
In pictures: Oscar Pistorius trial resumes Oscar Pistorius trial Oscar Pistorius speaks with his defence lawyer Barry Roux at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria prior to a hearing of his murder trial
In pictures: Oscar Pistorius trial resumes Oscar Pistorius trial June Steenkamp, mother of Reeva Steenkamp, accompanied by an unidentified man, arrives at the high court in Pretoria
In pictures: Oscar Pistorius trial resumes Oscar Pistorius trial Family members of Oscar Pistorius listen to a witness testifying during his murder trial in the high court in Pretoria
In pictures: Oscar Pistorius trial resumes Oscar Pistorius trial A friend of Reeva Steenkamp listens to a witness testifying during the murder trial of Oscar Pistorius in the high court in Pretoria
In pictures: Oscar Pistorius trial resumes Oscar Pistorius trial June, mother of Reeva Steenkamp, reacts while attending the murder trial of Oscar Pistorius at the high court in Pretoria
In pictures: Oscar Pistorius trial resumes Oscar Pistorius trial Oscar Pistorius reacts in the dock at the high court in Pretoria
In pictures: Oscar Pistorius trial resumes Oscar Pistorius trial Oscar Pistorius sits in the dock at the high court in Pretoria
In pictures: Oscar Pistorius trial resumes Oscar Pistorius trial Oscar Pistorius talks with his brother Carl at the high court in Pretoria
In pictures: Oscar Pistorius trial resumes Oscar Pistorius trial Oscar Pistorius walks in the high court in Pretoria
In pictures: Oscar Pistorius trial resumes Oscar Pistorius trial Oscar Pistorius holds his hand on his forehead in the dock at the high court in Pretoria
In pictures: Oscar Pistorius trial resumes Oscar Pistorius trial Oscar Pistorius holds his head in his hands as he sits in his dock during his ongoing murder trial in Pretoria
In pictures: Oscar Pistorius trial resumes Oscar Pistorius trial Oscar Pistorius looks straight ahead inside a courtroom at the high court in Pretoria
In pictures: Oscar Pistorius trial resumes Oscar Pistorius trial Oscar Pistorius greets his brother during his ongoing murder trial at North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria
In pictures: Oscar Pistorius trial resumes Oscar Pistorius trial Oscar Pistorius greets people who came to support him during his ongoing murder trial in Pretoria
In pictures: Oscar Pistorius trial resumes Oscar Pistorius trial Supporters of Oscar Pistorius hold portraits of him as they gather outside Pretoria's High Court after his arrival
In pictures: Oscar Pistorius trial resumes Oscar Pistorius trial Oscar Pistorius receives a hug from his fan Kayla Nolan as he arrives at the high court in Pretoria
In pictures: Oscar Pistorius trial resumes Oscar Pistorius trial Oscar Pistorius arrives at the high court in Pretoria
Reports of the disagreement emerged after the South African posted a series of message on Twitter after a long silence on social media.
He posted a collage of photos of himself with young amputees and a passage about how a man in "utter desolation" can still "achieve fulfilment".
The 27-year-old has admitted shooting his girlfriend dead on Valentine’s Day in 2013 but denies murder.
He claims he shot through the bathroom door “in fear for his life”, believing there was an intruder in his home.
The double-amputee is due back at Pretoria High Court on 7 August before the judge retires to consider the verdict of his case, which could take several weeks.
Pistorius faces between 25 years and life in prison if found guilty.
