OSCAR PISTORIUS, the celebrated athlete who became a murder suspect, has said he is consumed by grief on the first anniversary of the day he fatally shot his girlfriend in his home.

The rare statement by the double-amputee runner came ahead of the March 3 start of his trial for the ­killing of Reeva Steenkamp, who was shot in her boyfriend's bathroom in the pre-dawn hours of Valentine's Day last year.

Pistorius, who claims he mistook Ms Steenkamp for a dangerous night-time intruder, said: "No words can adequately capture my feelings about the devastating accident that has caused such heartache for everyone who truly loved - and continues to love Reeva.

"The pain and sadness -especially for Reeva's parents, family and friends consumes me with sorrow. The loss of Reeva and the complete trauma of that day, I will carry with me for the rest of my life."

The statement from ­Pistorius, 27, was unusual because his uncle, Arnold, has normally been quoted in statements from his camp, which has sought to shield the runner from intense media and public interest in a case that transfixed many people around the world.

Prosecutors allege the track star, who is out on bail, intentionally killed his girlfriend after an argument.

On Wednesday, a ­spokeswoman for Pistorius said he had reached a settlement with a woman over an alleged assault case from 2009. The woman claimed Pistorius had punched her.