South African judge clears sprint runner Oscar Pistorius of murder charges

South African Judge Thokozile Masipa has cleared Olympic and paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius of all murder charges, saying he did not foresee he could kill anyone the night he shot his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

"Clearly he did not subjectively foresee this as a possibility that he would kill the person behind the door, let alone the deceased as he thought she was in the bedroom," Masipa told a packed court, as tears streamed down Pistorius' face.

Pistorius could still be found guilty of culpable homicide, the equivalent of Britain's manslaughter, if Masipa believes the athlete was negligent in shooting dead Steenkamp.

The court has adjourned for a lunch break.