Blood is pooled inside the bathroom where Reeva Steenkamp was shot, and drops are scattered on walls, stairs and a sofa, leaving a macabre trail tracing Pistorius’ journey as he carried her lifeless body downstairs.

Police tape is seen marking two bullet holes below the doorknob at Pistorius’ upscale Pretoria home, and a missing door panel. Pistorius has said he battered the door open with a cricket back to reach Steenkamp after the shooting.

It is not clear if the images, which were originally leaked to Sky News, are official police photographs. They also appear to show police bootprints among the blood.

^{Oscar Pistorius (main) appears in court, where he was charged with the killing of Reeva Steenkamp (top right) at his Pretoria home (bottom right) in February.}

Steenkamp was shot four times on Valentine’s Day at Pistorius’ Pretoria home. The sprinter, who had been hailed as a hero in his native South Africa after he became the first double amputee to race in the Olympics in 2012, has been charged with her murder.

Pistorius has said he mistook his girlfriend of three months for an intruder and shot her through a locked bathroom door. The prosecution argues her death was premeditated.

He will appear next week in a Pretoria court for a hearing that is likely to end in a postponement. South African officials have said the police investigation will not be completed until August.

Spokesmen from the National Prosecuting Authority could not be immediately reached, nor could representatives from Pistorius’ family or legal team.

Pistorius has said he and Steenkamp had a serious relationship and were deeply in love. One of the photos, which stands out for its absence of blood, appears to show an envelope and a bag of pink, heart-shaped candies.

The envelope is addressed to “Ozzy” – Steenkamp’s nickname for Pistorius – in what appears to be her handwriting.

Read more: Telegraph