Oscar Pistorius fails in bid to appeal murder sentence

South Africa’s Constitutional Court has dismissed former Paralympian Oscar Pistorius’ application to appeal against his 13-year jail sentence.

Last year, a South African appeals court increased Pistorius’ sentence for murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp from six years to 13.

Appeal application rejected

Pistorius was originally convicted for culpable homicide in 2014. However, three years later the Supreme Court of Appeal upgraded his conviction to murder.

In December, the 31-year-old former Paralympian had asked the Constitutional Court to review his increased jail term.

In spite of this, a court ruling released on Monday said that "the application for leave to appeal is dismissed" as it was not a constitutional matter.

 "The Constitutional Court has considered the application for condonation and leave to appeal.

"It has concluded that the application for condonation should be granted, but that the application for leave to appeal should be dismissed as it does not engage this court's jurisdiction."

Pistorius was convicted of murdering girlfriend Steenkamp by shooting her multiple times through a toilet cubicle door in the early hours of Valentine’s Day in 2013.

Pistorius claimed he mistook her for an intruder.