Former well-known Paralympian and convict, Oscar Pistorius has officially been denied parole, by the parole board today, after serving half of his murder sentence for murdering his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp in 2013.

Following news that Pistorius would be making an appearance in front of the parole board, speculation had been on the rise over whether Pistorius would be granted parole, with the mother of Reeva Steenkamp, June Steenkamp having made an appearance in the hearing today.

A visibly distraught June Steenkamp, was accompanied by the family's attorney, Tania Koen in what was described as a stressful day for Steenkamp. Ahead of the proceedings, Steenkamp expressed that it would be "difficult to be in the same room as him [Pistorius]", adding that she and her family still do not believe his story.

Pistorius shot and killed Reeva Steenkamp on Valentines Day in 2013, following what he described that he thought she was an intruder. He has still maintained this view, ten years since her death.

Initially, Pistorius was convicted with culpable homicide by the Gauteng High Court, which was later overturned in the Supreme Court of Appeal, who found him guilty of murder. This meant that a new sentence now had to be determined, which saw him granted a 15-year sentence, which was reduced to 13 years and five months, due to Pistorius having already served one year and seven months under his culpable homicide conviction.

With Pistorius now having served half his sentence, he was eligible for parole, amid claims that he has attempted to apologise to the Steenkamp family. Despite this, he denies deliberately killing Reeva.

The Steenkamp family has since expressed that they feel that he has not been rehabilitated, adding that he has not told the truth. As a result, the parents of Reeva Steenkamp, Barry and June Steenkamp, maintained ahead of the hearing, that Pistorius should not be granted parole.

The Steenkamps can now breathe a sigh of relief as the parole board denied Pistorius' parole. The Steenkamp family lawyer, Tania Koen, shas since confirmed this, adding that she received a call from the board and that it is a relief for June [Steenkamp].