Oscar in tears as he hears ballistic evidence

Tymon Smith

Oscar Pistorius leant forward with his head in his hands and shed tears while parts of the ballistic evidence were read out during the cross-examination of his neighbour Michelle Burger.

Pistorius's advocate Barry Roux was arguing that the damage inflicted by gunshots to his dead girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp would have caused brain damage, making it impossible for her to have cried out after the shots, as Burger had testified.

Roux put it to Burger that she was the kind of witness who was unwilling to make concessions because they might help his client.

During follow-up questioning from state prosecutor Gerrie Nel, Burger broke down in tears as she recalled the effect that hearing a woman's screams on the night of February 14 2013 had on her.

An emotional Burger was thanked for her assistance before being excused by Judge Thokozile Masipa.

Nel continues with evidence from Estelle van der Merwe, who lives across the road from Pistorius in the Silver Woods Country Estate, and who testified that she heard the sound of an argument in the early hours of the morning Steenkamp was shot.

Her testimony will continue after lunch today.