South African Paralympic champion Oscar Pistorius became distraught as he was shown a photo of his dead girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp by the prosecution at his murder trial in Pretoria.

“It’s time that you look at it,” chief prosecutor Gerrie Nel said, presenting the photo at the start of the first day of cross-examination.

Oscar Pistorius, who denies murdering Reeva Steenkamp, insisted he had made a “mistake”.

The athlete says he accidentally killed his girlfriend after mistaking her for an intruder.

He told the court on Wednesday: “I made a mistake. My mistake was that I took Reeva’s life.”

Prosecutors say Oscar Pistorius intentionally killed Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day last year by firing a gun through a bathroom door at her after a row at his Pretoria home.

Oscar Pistorius, who is a double amputee, faces life imprisonment if convicted of murdering the 29-year-old model, reality TV celebrity and law graduate.

Following legal arguments on Wednesday morning, Gerrie Nel showed video footage of the athlete at a gun range shooting a watermelon.

Gerrie Nel then said the watermelon had exploded in the same way as Reeva Steenkamp’s head – and showed the photo. He asked Oscar Pistorius to look at it and take responsibility for his actions.

An emotional Oscar Pistorius, 27, turned away from the image on a monitor screen and said: “I’ve taken responsibility… but I will not look at a picture where I am tormented by what I saw and felt that night… I remember. I don’t have to look at a picture, I was there.”

After an adjournment to allow Oscar Pistorius to compose himself, Gerrie Nel sought to highlight what he said were inconsistencies in the athlete’s statements, questioning his claims that police had tampered with items in his home after the shooting.

“I am not pleading not guilty because the scene was contaminated,” Oscar Pistorius countered.

“I am pleading not guilty because what I’m accused of didn’t happen.”

In the opening moments of cross examination, Gerrie Nel showed the highly combative style Oscar Pistorius can now expect from him in the coming days.

Earlier, while being questioned by his lawyer Barry Roux, Oscar Pistorius told the court he had tried to revive Reeva Steenkamp, who was hit by three of four pistol rounds he fired through the door.

He said he had managed to carry Reeva Steenkamp downstairs, where neighbors had tried to administer first aid before paramedics arrived.

Before Barry Roux ended his questioning, he asked Oscar Pistorius if he had intentionally killed Reeva Steenkamp.

“I did not intend to kill Reeva or anybody else for that matter,” he replied.

If Oscar Pistorius is acquitted of murder, South African law stipulates that the court must consider the separate, lesser charge of culpable homicide, or manslaughter, for which he could receive between six and 15 years in prison.

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Oscar Pistorius described events after shooting his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in his home at his murder trial in Pretoria.

During his emotional testimony Oscar Pistorius said Reeva Steenkamp died before the ambulance arrived while he was holding her.

The Paralympic athlete said he tried to help his girlfriend breathe and stem the bleeding from her hip.

Oscar Pistorius denies deliberately shooting dead Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day last year, arguing he mistook her for an intruder.

Prosecutors contend he intentionally killed her in the toilet of his bathroom after a row.

On Tuesday, Oscar Pistorius broke down in tears whilst describing the events leading up to the shooting and the actual event.

If acquitted, South African law stipulates that the court must consider the separate, lesser charge of culpable homicide, or manslaughter, for which he could receive between six and 15 years in prison.

Oscar Pistorius also faces charges of illegally firing a gun in public and of illegally possessing ammunition, both of which he denies.

On his third day on the stand, Oscar Pistorius described the moments after paramedics had arrived at the scene.

“They asked for some space to work so I stood up. Reeva had already died whilst I was holding her before the ambulance arrived. So, I knew there was nothing they could do for her,” he told the court.

He also described his distress as police and other officials arrived at the house.

“I asked a policeman if I could wash my hands because the smell of the blood was making me throw up,” he said.

Oscar Pistorius’ lawyer Barry Roux also asked him to demonstrate how he would swing a cricket bat.

The athlete said he was on his prosthetic legs when he used the cricket bat to break down the toilet door.

He said the three sounds heard by witnesses at 03:17 local time was the cricket bat hitting the door – about five minutes after he shot at the toilet door.

Oscar Pistorius said he was on his stumps, when he shot at the door.

“I can barely stand on my stumps,” he said.

During his questioning, Barry Roux also mentioned statements from close neighbors who were listed by the state but not called by the prosecution.

He said the statement from Kenny Motshoane’s house described hearing “crying” and not “a woman screaming”, as mentioned by other witnesses.

Another woman living nearby also says she heard “loud crying” and not a woman screaming, Barry Roux said.

Before Barry Roux ended his questioning he asked Oscar Pistorius if he had intentionally killed Reeva Steenkamp.

“I did not intend to kill Reeva or anybody else for that matter,” he replied.

On Tuesday, Oscar Pistorius described how the couple had spent a quiet evening together on February 13, Reeva Steenkamp doing some yoga as he spoke to his cousin on the phone.

He had then watched TV in bed with his head resting on her stomach and she would occasionally show him photos of cars she was looking at on her phone, he said.

Oscar Pistorius said that they had bought Valentine’s Day gifts for each other.

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