Oscar Pistorius: Athlete could be released in three weeks as parole board sets hearing date

Pistorius' parole review has been set for 18 September

A new date has been set for a parole board to meet and decide whether Oscar Pistorius can be released from prison early, South African media has reported.

ENCA reports the board will meet on 18 September to discuss Pistorius’ case, who was jailed for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day in 2013.

The Paralympic athlete was expected to be released from prison in Pretoria a week ago to serve the rest of his sentence under house arrest in his uncle's home. He was told he would remain behind bars for the foreseeable future on his release date after a parole board ruled house arrest was “premature”.

It means Pistorius could be freed from prison within the next three weeks after serving 11 months of his five year sentence.

Pistorius has always maintained that he believed Steenkamp was an intruder when he shot her though a locked bathroom door in his home. Prosecutors claim he shot Steenkamp deliberately and have launched an appeal against his conviction for culpable homicide, arguing that he should be charged with murder.