Oscar Pistorius: "At no point did Reeva shout out or scream". Photo: BBC NEWS

Prosecutor Gerrie Nel said it was "improbable" that she would stand in the bathroom saying nothing while Mr Pistorius was just 3m (10ft) away shouting at her to call the police.

Mr Pistorius said he could not explain but reiterated that no woman screamed.

Mr Pistorius, 27, denies murder saying the killing was a terrible accident.

He admits killing Ms Steenkamp but says he fired his gun after mistaking her for an intruder.

He believed she had been in bed when he grabbed his gun, made his way to the bathroom and fired shots through the door.

The prosecution says he killed her after an argument.

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On the third day of his cross-examination, Mr Nel pressed the Olympic sprinter to explain the final moments leading up to the shooting.

He asked why he had not checked whether Ms Steenkamp had heard his calls for her to phone the police, or why he had not taken her to safety instead of going to confront the supposed intruder.

Mr Pistorius said it was his personality to confront what he believed was an intruder.

The trial has been adjourned until Monday morning.

'She was scared of you'

Later, Mr Nel questioned Mr Pistorius's account that he had not heard Ms Steenkamp shout or scream during the whole incident.

He said it was the "most improbable" part of the account.

"At that stage when you shouted at Reeva to phone the police, she was 3m away from you in the toilet, but she didn't say anything," he said.

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"Why would she not say anything?"

Mr Pistorius said he did not know.

The prosecutor accused him of lying, and said he had shot Ms Steenkamp while she was talking to him from the bathroom.

"She wasn't scared of an intruder," he said. "She was scared of you."

He went on: "Are you sure that Reeva did not scream after the first shot?"

Mr Pistorius took a long time to answer, and broke down into sobs.

"At no point did Reeva shout out or scream," he said.

Mr Nel then disputed his claim, saying he would not have been able to hear if he had just fired his gun.

Prosecution witnesses have testified to hearing a woman scream, but the defence disputes their testimony.

'Fixated' on intruder

Mr Nel repeated a line of attack he had used on Thursday, testing the defendant's version of events, and accusing him of lying.

Mr Pistorius told the court he had heard a window opening and closing, and had immediately got out of bed and grabbed his gun.

"I told Reeva to get down and phone the police," he said.

Mr Nel asked if he had not looked at Ms Steenkamp, or asked if she had heard the noise.

"On the morning of the 14th I was sure of what I heard," he said.

"My whole being was fixated on this person that I thought was in the bathroom."

 

 

Oscar Pistorius trial day 19 - in 60 seconds

The double amputee faces life imprisonment if convicted of murdering the 29-year-old model.

If he is acquitted of murder, the court must consider an alternative charge of culpable homicide, for which he could receive up to 15 years in prison.

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

There are no juries at trials in South Africa, and his fate will ultimately be decided by the judge, assisted by two assessors.