Oscar Pistorius 'sobbed himself to sleep' on first night in prison (tvnz south africa)

Pistorius, inset, and jail where he'll spend 10 months

Oscar Pistorius could be heard sobbing inconsolably during his first night in prison, according to reports in South African media.

Pistorius was acquitted of murder but convicted of culpable homicide for shooting dead his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp through a toilet door in his home last year.

The athlete was sentenced to five years in prison on Monday, though he could end up serving only ten months in jail.

South African newspaper The Times reported today that Pistorius wept during his first night at Pretoria's Kgosi Mampuru II prison.

"Shortly after the door closed you could hear the tears," a source said.

"He was torn up. Broken. The crying went on and on. We think he stopped when he fell asleep. It was really bad."

Another source told the newspaper that Pistorius was still in shock. "It gets everyone the first time, but he has the jitters bad [sic].

Pistorius' daily prison routine consists of waking at 5.30am, eating breakfast at 7am, lunch at 12pm and dinner at 4pm - all the while inside his 2m by 3m cell."He's really tense and stressed. The fact that he can't do what he wants when he wants, and eat what he wants, is hitting him hard."

The Times reports that Pistorius was yesterday briefly introduced to the other eight hospital-wing inmates.

Pistorius' five-year sentence allows for him to be released from prison after completing one-sixth of his term to serve the remainder under correctional supervision, which involves house arrest.

He will this week begin a 21-day risks and needs assessment to warn him of the dangers in prison, such as gangsterism and contraband.

It will also determine if he is at risk of suicide.