Oscar Pistorius in tears as murder charge read out in court Link to video: Oscar Pistorius in court on murder charge Oscar Pistorius, the Paralympic star, broke down and wept uncontrollably in court on Friday as prosecutors said they would pursue a charge of premeditated murder against him. Pistorius is accused of shooting dead his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, a model and reality TV show participant, at his home in the early hours of Thursday morning. The South African athlete, dubbed the "blade runner," repeatedly pressed his fingers to his eyes and looked down, sobbing and shaking, in an hour-long hearing in a packed courtroom in Pretoria. The magistrate delayed Pistorius's bail hearing until Tuesday and ruled that the 26-year-old would be held at a Pretoria police station until then, despite a likely perception of "preferential treatment," since it would be more common for the accused to be detained in prison. Pistorius, his hair short and neat, had solemnly entered the packed court wearing a grey suit and blue tie. He quickly broke down, putting his hands to his face, his trauma reflected in the faces of watching photographers. "Take it easy," chief magistrate Desmond Nair told him. Come take a seat. When the magistrate used the phrase "premeditated murder" the athlete leaned forward as if trying to bend over double, his head bowed, breathing hard and weeping. Nair announced the case as "the state versus Mr Oscar Leonard Pistorius," involving a charge of one count of murder. The prosecution said the charge was premeditated murder, indicating the prosecution would file that more serious charge. Nair presided over the hearing in a hot, redbrick courtroom crammed with more than 100 people, including numerous local and international journalists. The magistrate ruled that no recordings of court proceedings would be allowed in the case. Pistorius's father, Henke, was in court, as was his brother Carl, sister Aimee and other supporters of the double-amputee runner. At one point Henke leaned forward and placed a comforting hand on Pistorius's back; at another, Carl put a hand on his shoulder. Both declined to comment as they left the court. Family members reached forward to touch Pistorius's shoulder as he stood and left the courtroom while cameras clicked and flashed. Controversial South African businessman Kenny Kunene, wearing sunglasses, was also present, saying he had come to support his friend Pistorius. The hearing was relatively informal with court attendees wearing T-shirts and jeans, and journalists frequently tweeting from phones. Yet the man in the dock was evidently inconsolable. The Paralympic champion had arrived at court earlier in the back of a police vehicle, hiding his face with a jacket and A4 notebook pressed to the window. Forensic experts were expected to continue examining the house in the upmarket estate on the outskirts of Pretoria where Steenkamp, 29, was killed. It is believed four shots were fired. Pistorius made history in London last year when he became the first double-amputee track athlete to compete in the Olympic Games. The tragedy dominated South African TV, radio and newspapers, with the Times front page headline stating: "Oscar's darkest day."