Oscar Pistorius has been cleared of all murder charges in relation to the death of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

Judge Thokozile Masipa said the prosecution had failed to prove that Pistorius, 27, had deliberately killed his Steenkamp in his home after a row.

Judge masipa said:

“The state has not proved beyond reasonable doubt that the accused is guilty of premeditated murder…There are just not enough facts to support such a finding.”

The Paralympic athelete was shown weeping as the judge cleared him of murder charges and said that he could not have foreseen killing whoever was behind the door and believed that his life was in danger when he shot through the door.

Judge Masipa described Pistorius as an evasive witness, but said that this did not make him guilty of murder.

She went on to question the reliability of a number of witnesses produced by the prosecution that claimed to have heard screams and gunshots, saying that they “got facts wrong”.

The judge adjourned proceedings until Friday when she will give a verdict on whether Pistorius was guilty of culpable homicide (manslaughter).

The sport star pleaded not guilty to all the charges he faces, including two counts of shooting a firearm in public and the illegal possession of ammunition.

He denies murdering Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day last year, claiming that he thought he was shooting at an intruder.

The trial, which began on 3 March 2013, has been televised and has been a worldwide sensation, with each update i the case making frontpage news around the world.