7:50 am

Roux asks Vermeulen how far he went to find the missing door splinters from Pistorius' bathroom door.

The witness says he did not check the register detailing the evidence - a change from earlier evidence where he said the splinters were nowhere to be found in the register.

Roux says the witness examined the door on April 30 last year and asked about the missing splinters.

The Colonel's voice is cracking as he says he "does not remember" who he spoke to about the missing pieces.

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

8:09 am
The Colonel denies talking to anyone overnight about his evidence, but says he has been "playing it over and over in my mind".

Roux is now tackling the Colonel about not being "bothered" about the other marks on the door.

He says: "I did not sit down and read the entire version" of Pistorius' bail statement. "I was just passing by."

7:50 am
Roux asks Vermeulen how far he went to find the missing door splinters from Pistorius' bathroom door.

The witness says he did not check the register detailing the evidence - a change from earlier evidence where he said the splinters were nowhere to be found in the register.

Roux says the witness examined the door on April 30 last year and asked about the missing splinters.

The Colonel's voice is cracking as he says he "does not remember" who he spoke to about the missing pieces.

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

8:24 am
Pistorius has appeared tired this morning as he twice tries to hide his yawns as the police forensic witness gives evidence.

Later he starts taking notes and stares at the stumbling witness over his glasses - just like his lead Defence Advocate Barry Roux.

The Col sounds as if he is losing his voice as he is quizzed by the defence and told by the Judge he is going "too fast".

Earlier he agreed to give them his phone records as it appears Roux is suggesting he might have had a little help overnight.

8:16 am
Vermeulen says he was only asked to look at the door, but agrees there is a mark caused by Pistorius' prosthesis.

Roux says: "If you accept that that is the mark caused by a prosthetic foot on the door, then it tells a story?" Vermeulen agrees.

The lawyer goes on to say it is very easy for Pistorius to kick that high (on the door) and he will show this to the court at a later stage.

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Bloodied prosthetic leg with sock

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

8:47 am
Vermeulen says that if Pistorius kicked the door then tried to hit it with a cricket bat, he would have been in an "uncomfortable position".

Roux goes back to the photo of the panel.

The colonel says: "The blood is smeared underneath that plank which means that panel ended up there after the smear mark/blood was created."

Roux then mentioned "tampering", which the witness strongly denies.

8:41 am
Reeva's friends cover their mouths as the photographs of the blood-covered bathroom are shown to the court.

The judge is now being shown pictures of the toilet door with panels missing, one lying in blood with splinters around.

Another picture shows the wooden panel which Roux claims has the "prosthetic footprint" on.

But the witness refuses to agree that Pistorius must have kicked the door wearing his prosthetic.

8:35 am
Roux is now going through Vermeulen's case files - he suggests the witness has removed pages before handing them over, but the expert denies this.

They are now going through pictures on the court screen of the crime scene. They include pictures of an iPhone lying near blood spatters, a blood covered bathroom and toilet.

A thumbnail picture of Reeva also flashed up on the screen.

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

8:52 am
As photos are flipped through on the screen, an image of Reeva Steenkamp's body is accidentally shown on screens. There are gasps from her family, and Pistorius puts his head in his hands.

We are now seeing a picture of Pistorius' prosthetic leg, streaked with blood and blood-stained trainer socks.

His sister Aimee is comforted in the court.

The next picture is of the four round bullet holes in the door but Roux is focusing on the alleged footprint which is higher than the handle.

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

9:06 am

We're now looking at a picture of the Colonel holding a cricket bat during his tests.

The tests on the door seem to be carried out in a full storage room full of files and another new door stands alongside.

Roux asks about the inventory from the crime scene, and who makes it. He says it has been reported to police that the accused had a cabinet or box of watches which are missing. The witness says he wasn't involved with making that inventory.

Roux then talks about a YouTube video which emerged last week, showing someone comparing the sound of a gun and a bat hitting a door. The witness says he has not seen the video, and has not conducted such a test.

The session has adjourned for a short break.

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

9:40 am

The session has resumed after a tea break.

Roux asks Vermeulen to look at the YouTube video before concluding his cross-examination.

Prosecutor Gerrie Nel is on his feet for re-examination. He asks about the height of the marks on the door, and confirms with Vermeulen there was no damage to the handle.

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

9:56 am
Pistorius is sobbing in the dock, and continues being sick.

Officials rush over with a green bucket.

Reeva's friend Desi Myers looks very upset in court.

The live video feed to the court room appears to have been suspended.

9:53 am
Graphic close-ups of Reeva Steenkamp after the shooting are flashed up on the screens again as the court operator scrolls through pictures.

Pistorius is coughing and retching.

A paper bag is passed to him by his family.

9:49 am
The bat is back in the witness box. The Colonel says there is a "distinct red mark" on the side of the cricket bat caused by hitting the door on its edge.

Vermeulen says if the accused had his prosthetic legs on, he would have been in an unnatural position when he hit the door.

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

9:59 am

Nel finishes he re-examination of Vermeulen, and the witness is excused.

The next witness will by Colonel Van Rensburg. Nel asks for an adjournment so he can make arrangements for graphic images that need to be shown.

Pistorius is with his sister Aimee and his lawyer.

Col Van Rensburg resigned last year after it emerged he had kept the toilet door in his office rather than an evidence room.

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

10:04 am
Pistorius' sister Aimee wipes away tears as her brother talks to his defence team.

He is thought to be complaining about the close-ups of Reeva's body that keep being flashed up on the court room screens.

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

10:16 am

Oscar's sister Aimee now sat with her head on his shoulder in the dock.

Prosecutor Gerrie Nel raised concerns about the photos that will be shown next.

The screen in front of Pistorius has been turned off so he won't have to face the graphic images coming up.

Witness Colonel Van Rensburg is being sworn in.

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Ricky Jervais is sitting with the prosecutors... looking nervous.

I thought he said he was neutral? Works for both sides

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Roux is picking up mistakes by translator. They seem very obvious mistakes to me. Pretty slack from an official court translator

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Roux is clearly a better translator.

I wonder if this translation farce is really necessary

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

The translator struggling... and so Van Rensburg helps him out by repeating in English himself.

Why the hell does Van Rensburg not just speak English... as always he is quite proficient, and certainly that would be better than a struggling translator and a half-arsed translation

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

10:38 am
Col Rensburg says he called fingerprint, photographers and forensic personnel.

Also on the scene was a woman, Ms Stander, consoling Pistorius (Ms Stander is the estate manager's daughter).

Col Rensburg says he was told Pistorius asked Ms Stander to use his car to take Reeva to hospital, but Ms Stander refused and suggested instead an ambulance should be called.

She and Pistorius tried to "stop the bleeding" with extra towels and black bags.

10:30 am
The paramedic showed me her head, hip, elbow and hand wounds, the witness says.

He says he moved into the house. In the kitchen stood the accused.

He was very emotional at that stage, says Col Rensburg, and he was asked Pistorius what had happened.

The athlete did not answer. He was in tears.

10:27 am
There was a body lying down which was covered with towels and black bags.

There was also blood which could be seen where the body was lying.

As Col Rensburg got into the house, a lady paramedic approached him, and told him the person lying there was dead on arrival.

10:23 am
Col Rensburg was investigating an armed robbery on February 13, then went back to the station.

A call then came in about a shooting at Silver Woods Country estate. They arrived at the scene at around 3.55am.

An ambulance was already there.

10:19 am
Col Rensburg tells the court he has 29 years service with the South African police force, but has since resigned.

He is giving his evidence through an interpreter.

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light