Pistorius in weekend nightclub row over murder trial

Murder accused Oscar Pistorius got into a row about his trial while out at a nightclub, his spokeswoman has confirmed.

The 27-year-old Olympic and Paralympic athlete was at the VIP Room in Johannesburg on Saturday night (July 12th) when he got into an argument about the trial with another man, reported by the South African Press Association (Sapa) to be Jared Mortimer.

The double-amputee's spokeswoman Anneliese Burgess said Mr Mortimer "aggressively engaged" Mr Pistorius, who is on trial for the murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

Ms Burgess said: “We can confirm that Oscar was at the said venue with one of his cousins. They sat in a quiet booth in the VIP section when they were approached by an individual who has now been identified as a Mr Mortimer.

“The individual, according to my client, started to aggressively interrogate him on matters relating to the trial. An argument ensued during which my client asked to be left alone.

“Oscar soon thereafter left the club with his cousin. My client regrets the decision to go to a public space and thereby inviting unwelcome attention.”

Pistorius has admitted he killed Ms Steenkamp by firing at what he thought was an intruder through a closed toilet door at his home, but he denies murder and his trial has been adjourned until August 7th.

South African news site Eyewitness News (EWN) reported that Mr Mortimer claimed Mr Pistorius was drunk and had insulted him and his friends before poking him in the chest.

Mr Mortimer said he pushed Mr Pistorius and he fell backwards on his feet and on to a chair.

According to EWN, bouncers intervened and stopped the incident.

But officials from the club, in the affluent Sandton area, have denied the incident occurred.

Spokesman Perry Mermigas said Mr Pistorius was at the club but said nothing out of the ordinary happened.

"We are not aware of this," Mr Mermigas told Sapa. "[Mr Pistorius] was there but there was no altercation and if there had been, we would have known about it," he said.

Press Association