Oscar Pistorius is reportedly on the “verge of suicide”, according to a family friend.  The Olympic Sprinter is charged with murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, he claims he shot her by accident mistaking her for a burglar.

Family friend Mike Azzie tells the BBC that Pistorius is a “broken man”, overcome with grief and selling big ticket belongings such as his race horses in order to cover rising legal costs.

Defense lawyers are trying to get the court to ease the tight conditions of his bail, which include: surrendering his passport; reporting to police twice a week; and being banned from his home where the shooting took place.

They say Pistorius is not a flight risk.