Oscar Pistorius apologises for killing Reeva Steenkamp

An emotional Oscar Pistorius has apologised to the family of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, on the first day of his evidence at his murder trial. In a trembling voice, he said he was "trying to protect" her and said he could not imagine the family's pain. Mr Pistorius said he suffered "terrible nightmares" and often woke up smelling Ms Steenkamp's blood. Prosecutors say he killed her in February 2013 after an argument. He says he mistook her for an intruder. The athlete told Ms Steenkamp's relatives that there "hasn't been a moment since this tragedy happened that I haven't thought about your family". "I wake up every morning and you're the first people I think of, the first people I pray for. I can't imagine the pain and the sorrow and the emptiness that I've caused you and your family. "I was simply trying to protect Reeva. I can promise that when she went to bed that night she felt loved. Reeva Steenkamp's mother, June, remained impassive during Mr Pistorius' testimony "I've tried to put my words on paper many, many times to write to you. But no words will ever suffice." In the packed Pretoria courtroom, Ms Steenkamp's mother, June, sat stony-faced while he spoke. Mr Pistorius said he was taking anti-depressants and sleeping pills. Analysis based on This Matter Oscar Pistorius's first testimony was always going to be a gamble - a tightrope act of eliciting sympathy while not trying to portray himself as the victim. The Pistorius who took the stand today painted a picture of a life lived in fear because of an acute awareness of crime, and of vulnerability because of his disability. But this is not the Pistorius South Africans know - a man who refused to let his disability make him feel unequal. The Pistorius portrayed today was a man with apparent abandonment issues because of an absent father, and one deeply affected by the death of his mother. He was a man who had difficulty maintaining any relationships because of his demanding schedule - a hint at a lonely life. Reeva Steenkamp's mother looked at him sternly, showing no emotion. In his quest to show he has been living in fear of a violent society - never feeling safe even in his highly secure estate - he will need to find a balance and not try to appear to be the victim. That was Reeva Steenkamp. Anything else would lose him favour in the court of public perception. Pistorius trial: Day 16 round-up "I'm scared to sleep, I have terrible nightmares, I can smell blood and wake up terrified," he said. He added that he never wanted to handle a gun again. The athlete, 27, told the court about his difficult childhood after being born with parts of both legs missing and needing to wear prosthetic limbs. After a recess, Mr Pistorius was asked whether he and his family had been exposed to criminal acts. He said there had been many break-ins while he was growing up. Mr Pistorius said on one occasion he was followed by a car into his gated community. He said he had his gun with him and the two men in the car had sped off. On another occasion, he said he had drawn his firearm as he tried to protect a taxi driver who was being assaulted. Mr Pistorius testified: "They started beating him with rocks in his face and in his head. At that point I jumped the lights. I hooted until I pulled up. I drew my firearm. I pointed it at the three people. They jumped in the taxi. They sped off." Mr Pistorius said he was also attacked at a party in December 2012, and had to have stitches in the head. Mr Pistorius then detailed how important religion was to him, saying: "When I met Reeva, I think it was just a blessing. I've always wanted to have a partner that was a Christian. She was a very strong Christian." He then became emotional again as he said "my God's a God of refuge" and his counsel, Barry Roux, asked for an adjournment. Defence lawyer Barry Roux said he would call 14 to 17 witnesses State prosecutor Gerrie Nel delivered a fierce cross-examination of pathologist Jan Botha The prosecution said that as long as this was not a daily occurrence there would be no objection and the case will resume on Tuesday morning. The BBC's Pumza Fihlani in court says the defence team has been trying to paint a picture of a man whose life has been peppered with tragedy, fear and vulnerability. 'Inexact science' Mr Roux said he would call 14 to 17 witnesses to testify on "ballistics, urine emptying, damage to the toilet door, sound, and disability and vulnerability". Pathologist Jan Botha was the first defence witness. Mr Botha, a private pathologist who said he has carried out about 25,000 autopsies, was asked about gastric emptying and calculating Ms Steenkamp's time of death. Mr Pistorius shot Ms Steenkamp when she was in a toilet cubicle at his house in Pretoria