South African Athlete Oscar Pistorius denies “picking on” his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, as he continues giving testifying to his murder trial in Pretoria.
The Paralympics champion was commenting on a mobile phone message Steenkamp had sent him.
He also denied ever shouting at her and regretted never telling Miss Steenkamp he loved her.
Mr. Pistorius has generally remained calm under Thursday’s cross-examination, in contrast to previous days when he had burst into tears and been sick.
The double amputee, nicknamed the ‘blade runner’, had apologised to Steenkamp’s family on the first day of the defence case.
Mrs. June Steenkamp, mother of the late model, reality TV celebrity and law graduate, Reeva, has been following Mr. Pistorius’ testimony closely in the company of the ANC women right group.
In court, Mrs. Steenkamp shook her head as Mr. Pistorius was taken through several Whatsapp messages, which Miss. Steenkamp had sent.
In one, she wrote: You have picked on me incessantly since we got back from Cape Town.”
Asked to comment, Mr Pistorius said: “I don’t feel like I picked on her incessantly- maybe we were having a rough time in our relationship.”
As well as denying ever shouting or screaming at Miss Steenkamp, the athlete said he had never shouted at a previous girlfriend, Sam Taylor, as she had testified earlier in the trial.
Mr. Pistorius denies murdering his girlfriend, saying he accidentally killed her after mistaking her for an intruder.
Prosecutors say Mr. Pistorius intentionally killed Miss Steenkamp on last year’s Valentine’s Day.
The Olympic and Paralympics sprinter faces life imprisonment if convicted of murdering his 29-year-old girlfriend.
Detailed Report on the BBC News Website
