Disgraced Paralympic gold medallist Oscar Pistorius has appealed to South Africa’s constitutional court to cut the sentence he got for murdering his girlfriend according to legal documents.

Pistorious initially received a six year sentence for shooting dead Reeva Steenkamp – but prosecutors argued that was “shockingly lenient” and an appeals court agreed last month to more than double the term to 15 years.

The judgment, Pistorius argued, disregarded material findings of the trial court, which showed “compelling circumstances justifying a departure from the prescribed minimum sentence”.

Fifteen years is the minimum usually given for murder?

Pistorius said this was in breach of his constitutional right to a fair trial and sentencing.