"I was afraid Oscar would hurt himself": Stipp

Oscar Pistorius stayed at his girlfriend's side after he shot and killed her at his home on Valentine's Day last year, the High Court in Pretoria heard on Thursday.

"Oscar stayed by her side," said Johan Stipp as he testified in Pistorius's murder trial.

He said he arrived at Pistorius's home shortly after the shooting and found Reeva Steenkamp's body lying at the bottom of the stairs.

Pistorius had been trying to clear her airway and had his fingers in her mouth.

Stipp, who introduced himself as a medical doctor, said he attempted to help but soon realised Steenkamp was dead.

He described the details of her injuries to the court, causing Pistorius and Steenkamp's cousin who sat in the court gallery to cry.

Pistorius sat forward, listening with his head in his hands.

Stipp testified that while he knew that Pistorius lived in the same Silver Woods Country Estate with him, he did not immediately know that he was in the athlete's home at that time.

He told the court that after he saw Pistorius go up the stairs, he asked a certain Mr Stander, who had been with the security team, whether he knew where the gun was.

Stander said he did not know where the gun was.

"I was afraid Oscar would hurt himself," said Stipp.

He said Stander said he hoped the shooting would not get into the media.

Pistorius is currently on trial for murdering his blonde-haired model girlfriend.

The State will try to prove that Pistorius committed premeditated murder when he shot Steenkamp through the locked bathroom door at his home.

Pistorius's lawyers will argue that he mistook her for an intruder when he shot through the bathroom door.

In addition, Pistorius is charged with illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.