South African athlete Oscar Pistorius, who faces murder charges over the fatal shooting of his girlfriend, has been granted bail after a lengthy hearing.
The Paralympic sprinter denies murder, saying he shot Reeva Steenkamp thinking she was an intruder at his home.
The prosecution had argued that bail should be refused because there was a risk Mr Pistorius, 26, would abscond.
Magistrate Desmond Nair said the state had not made a case that he would flee, or that he had a violent character.
The magistrate said that Mr Pistorius had “reached out to meet the state’s case” at an early stage.
Mr Nair took almost two hours to deliver his judgement.
He criticised the testimony of lead detective Hilton Botha, saying he had not followed up important leads and had changed his testimony.
But he also said he had difficulty understanding why Mr Pistorius had opened fire in the way he did.
Ms Steenkamp, 29, was a model and law graduate with a burgeoning television career.
