Reeva's first love denies emotional abuse claim

REEVA Steenkamp's first love, jockey Wayne Agrella, has denied that he had an abusive relationship with the slain former Port Elizabeth model.

"I was never abusive to Reeva, that is an absolute lie," the popular Port Elizabeth-based rider said yesterday.

Agrella said he simply had to clear his name after evidence in the Oscar Pistorius murder trial was given about him by Steenkamp's cousin, Kim Martin.

Last Wednesday, Martin testified that Steenkamp, who was killed by Paralympic athlete Pistorius on Valentine's Day last year, had confessed to her that her six-year relationship with Agrella was "emotionally abusive".

They were a couple before Steenkamp left Port Elizabeth to move to Johannesburg.

Martin also told the court that Agrella worked as a jockey for Reeva's father, Barry Steenkamp, who is a racehorse trainer.

She told the court that Agrella was Reeva's first boyfriend as she was not allowed to date while in school.

Agrella said yesterday he was shocked by Martin's testimony, particularly since he had spent so much time with the Steenkamp family and felt "ambushed".

- Cindy Preller