Reeva's Parents A Picture Of Grief At Trial

The elderly parents of Reeva Steenkamp have been the picture of pain and grief each time they've arrived at the High Court in Pretoria.

They faced the gathering of camera crews who filmed their every movement with stoicism and fortitude, but no-one was left in any doubt that this was a harrowing experience for them and they hated every minute of being in the spotlight.

Reeva's mother June sat expressionless for the bulk of the trial, despite repeated graphic testimony about the injuries inflicted on her youngest child by Oscar Pistorius when Black Talon bullets ripped through her head and body.

She lowered her head when her daughter's bloodied face was flashed up on the court TV screens. (She'd been warned beforehand by the state lawyers but was determined to stay inside the courtroom).

A group from the ruling ANC Party's Women's League accompanied her every day to the courtroom.

They've been funding the family's costs of attending the trial since March. The couple live in Port Elizabeth and couldn't afford the travelling expenses or accommodation bills.

June has since managed to attend virtually every day of the seven-month-long trial.

Reeva's father Barry, who has suffered a number of strokes since the death of his daughter, opted to spend most of the time at home during the legal process, unable to cope with the stress.

But he did travel over to hear the verdict and he wanted to be in Pretoria for the sentencing of his daughter's killer.

He smiled shyly and always responds positively when the waiting journalists greeted him as he walked slowly in and out of court.

I met June Steenkamp briefly in the coastal town of Port Elizabeth shortly after the killing of her daughter.

She told me she'd just come back from seeing her therapist and was exhausted - too emotionally spent to talk to me just then although she politely referred me to her lawyers.

The couple almost immediately ran into financial difficulties after their daughter's death.

Mrs Steenkamp told one reporter she'd spoken to Reeva as she was driving to the runner's house on the night she was killed.

Her daughter had promised to send money to pay for their cable television bill.

She also regularly helped out with her parents' utility and food bills.

The couple consulted lawyers almost immediately and were advised to launch a civil action claim for compensation against Oscar Pistorius.

It emerged during the sentencing hearing that within two weeks of their daughter's death they were getting monthly payments from the athlete of 6,000 South African Rand (equivalent to £350).

The runner offered to pay the money to them after the Steenkamp lawyer advised his legal team of the intention to mount a compensation claim.

The Steenkamps say the Pistorius team asked for the payments to be kept confidential and they abided by this request until the news emerged in court.

Prosecutor Gerrie Nel said June regarded the cash - plus the offer of a lump-sum from the runner - as "blood money".

When I asked their legal representative Dup De Bruyn if it was difficult for the couple to accept the runner's money, he said: "It's not difficult if you haven't any."

He added that Reeva's parents intended to pay back every cent.

We watched as the very tough-looking June Steenkamp crumpled and held her head in her hands and sobbed as she listened to her niece Kim Martin give heart-breaking testimony of how Reeva's death has impacted on the family .

It was the first real time we have seen this doughty, strong, diminutive woman break down.

It must have been unbearably hard for her to listen to her daughter's cousin talk about all the good times - even the birth of Reeva.

Reeva was the first newborn Kim Martin had ever held, aged 12, and she said from that moment on, the two had a strong bond.

The Steenkamps' lawyer said he'd done "some good deals" for them with media houses: one is thought to be the American network NBC - to try to provide some financial security for them in their old age.

There can't be many who will begrudge them that.