Oscar Pistorius: Prosecution to appeal against sentence for Reeva Steenkamp murder

Pistorius was sentenced to six years in prison after his culpable homicide conviction was upgraded to murder

Oscar Pistorius, center, arrives at the High Court in Pretoria, South Africa Wednesday, July 6, 2016 (AP)

Prosecutors in South Africa will appeal against the “shockingly lenient" sentence handed to Oscar Pistorius for the murder of Reeva Steenkamp.

The Paralympic gold athlete, 29, was given a six-year sentence for the murder of Ms Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day 2013.

The National Prosecuting Authority said it will file appeal papers on Thursday, according to the Associated Press.

The prescribed minimum custodial sentence for murder is 15 years under South African law, but Judge Thokozile Masipa determined Pistorius should receive a shorter sentence because of mitigating factors such as his rehabilitation.

In her sentencing remarks, she referred to Pistorius as a “fallen hero” who believed an intruder was behind the door, not the model and law graduate.

Pistorius’ defence team confirmed the athlete nicknamed blade runner would not appeal his sentence. His sister Aimee thanked the judge in an interview shortly after he was returned to prison and said she was “grateful” for setting out her belief that Ms Steenkamp’s killing was not an act of gender-based violence.