Oscar Pistorius’ girlfriend was first shot in the hip, not the head, a South African police ballistics expert told his murder trial yesterday, supporting the testimony of earlier witnesses who said they heard screams during a volley of shots.

The Olympic and Paralympic track star’s defence has argued Reeva Steenkamp was first hit in the head and could not have continued to scream in the early hours of Valentine’s Day 2013, when she was killed at his luxury Pretoria home.

Pistorius has pleaded not guilty to the premeditated murder of the 29-year-old model and law graduate, saying he shot her through the toilet door in a tragic accident, having mistaken her for an intruder.

She was most likely seated in a defensive position

Prosecutors are seeking to prove that Pistorius fired four rounds through the door from a 9mm pistol, in a deliberate attempt to kill.

If found guilty of murder, he faces a minimum of 25 years behind bars.

Police ballistics expert Christian Mangena said that he believed Steenkamp had been standing behind the door when the first bullet struck her hip, causing her to fall down on top of a magazine rack next to the toilet seat.

He said she was most likely seated in a defensive position by the time the final bullet hit her in the head.

“Reeva must have had both hands covering her head protectively,” Mangena testified.

“The last bullet hit her on the head, breaking the skull.” The court saw grisly pictures of the blood-spattered toilet.