Pistorius fired gun in car, trial told

A friend of Oscar Pistorius has told his murder trial that the Olympian twice fired guns in public in the six months before he killed his girlfriend.

Darren Fresco said on one occasion the athlete fired without warning through the sunroof of a moving car following an altercation with a policeman who had handled Mr Pistorius's pistol, he said.

Mr Fresco said he asked Mr Pistorius immediately after the sunroof shooting if he was “mad” and the world-famous runner “just laughed” at him.

Mr Pistorius denies shooting the gun in the car, although now two witnesses say that he did.

Mr Fresco’s evidence portrayed Mr Pistorius as a reckless hothead who also asked him to take the blame for a gun being fired accidentally under a table in a busy Johannesburg restaurant.

But Mr Fresco's account appeared to be undermined when Mr Pistorius's defence lawyer created doubts over his recollection of some events. Mr Fresco responded to a number of questions from Barry Roux on cross-examination by saying he did not remember. He also said he had been following some previous evidence in the case on Twitter, which witnesses should not do.

Mr Pistorius (27) is on trial for murder of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, but also faces firearm charges for shooting in public and for illegal possession of ammunition. – PA