South African athlete Oscar Pistorius has been jailed for five years for the culpable homicide of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

Sentencing the 27-year-old at Pretoria High Court today, Judge Thokozile Masipa said that a non-custodial sentence would send out the wrong message to the community, but a long sentence would also be inappropriate. She also rejected the defence's argument that the Olympian would be at risk in jail because of his disability.

In a damning summary for the defence, she said Pistorius' lawyers had over-emphasised his vulnerability. She said that pregnant women also endured prison time in South Africa and that there was "not one law for the poor and one for the rich and famous".

There was no reaction from Pistorius, his family or the Steenkamp family as the sentence was passed.

June Steenkamp told reporters that the jail sentence was "right" but did not bring full closure for her daughter's death "unless you can magic her back". Pistorius family indicated that they had expected jail time for the athlete.

As Pistorius was led away to the court cells to await transport to prison, there was already confusion over the amount of time he will actually spend in prison.

Pistorius' legal team has suggested that he may serve just 10 months in jail before moving to house arrest - a claim that South Africa's National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) cast doubt over.

Nathi Mncube, a spokesperson for the NPA, said Pistorius would have to serve at least a third of his prison time behind bars, equating to around 20 months.

Oscar Pistorius jailed for five years for culpable homicide of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp