Reeva Steenkamp would have 'relived break-in nightmare' night Oscar Pistorius shot her, says uncle

REEVA Steenkamp locked herself in her room during a break-in two years ago, mirroring her actions the night she was shot dead by Oscar Pistorius.

REEVA Steenkamp locked herself in her room during a break-in at her home two years ago, mirroring her actions the night she was shot dead by boyfriend Oscar Pistorius, it has emerged.

Steenkamp's uncle, Mike Steenkamp, has told NBC the model and aspiring TV star was given counselling after the 2011 break-in at the house where she lived with her parents in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

According to his account, Reeva Steenkamp was at home with her mother when a burglar carrying a crowbar smashed into the house. When she heard footsteps, Reeva Steenkamp raced into her room and hid behind a locked door, he said.

Prosecution lawyers believe that Steenkamp, 29, locked herself in a bathroom to escape from Pistorius, 26, on the morning of February 14.

They claim that Pistorius shot her deliberately through the bathroom door after an argument.  Pistorius claims he thought she was an intruder and shot her by mistake.

He is out on bail awaiting trial for murder.

The Tragic Life of Reeva Steenkamp: South Africa's Olympic sprint star Oscar Pistorius and his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. Pistorius has been charged with the Valentine's Day murder of Steenkamp, police confirmed on February 14, 2013 ahead of his expected court appearance. Photo: AFP/Lucky Nxumalo

During the NBC interview, Mike Steenkamp said his niece "must have been reliving the nightmare" of the break-in in the moments before she was killed.

"Two years ago, the same style of locking in. And they could hear the intruders in the house," he said.

"They took the laptops and everything else in the house.

"Two years ago could have gone through her mind - the same locking the door, (the) fear," he added.

The latest revelation comes  a day after it emerged that Reeva Steenkamp met with her ex-boyfriend Warren Lahoud just days before her death.

Lahoud said sprint star Pistorius called twice while the pair were catching up over coffee.

Earlier this week, Pistorius' s family were forced to deny the Olympic athlete was suicidal.

"Oscar, broken as he currently is, believes he has a purpose in life and is working towards that. Media reports to the contrary are untrue," said his uncle, Arnold Pistorius.

That denial came as lawyers filed an appeal in a South African court against bail restrictions imposed on the dual-amputee sprinter.

"The conditions appealed against are unwarranted and not substantiated by the facts,'' said the appeal, which was filed last Friday in Pretoria.

Reeva Steenkamp, seen here at a Sport Industry Awards night in Johannesburg on February 7. Picture: Getty Images

State prosecutors said they would contest the Pistorius appeal, though a court date on the matter had not yet been set.

The appeal reflected the robust defence strategy of lawyers for Pistorius, who has been staying at his uncle Arnold's home in a Pretoria suburb since he was released on bail on February 22.

In the papers, lawyers argued against the requirement that he surrender all passports and travel documents, and refrain from applying for such documents pending the end of his case.

The lawyers said evidence presented at the athlete's bail hearing showed he is not a flight risk and should have the option of traveling outside South Africa as long as he has official permission.

The appeal also said there was ``no basis in fact or in law'' justifying terms under which Pistorius must be supervised by a probation officer and a correctional official.

Officials will visit Pistorius at his uncle's home at least four times a month, according to James Smalberger, chief deputy commissioner of the department of correctional services.

"He's not under house arrest, but his movements need to be known to us so that we don't pitch there and he's not there,'' Smalberger had said. ``We agree on 'free time' normally during the course of the day, and in the evening we expect him to be home.''

The appeal against the bail conditions also objected to the requirement that Pistorius refrain from using alcohol or any banned substance, even though he had no intention of doing so.

"The mere use of any substance with alcohol in it will give rise to a transgression of the wide condition imposed,'' the appeal said.

In addition, the runner should be allowed access to the property at Silverwoods Country Estate where he shot Steenkamp, once the state completes its investigations there within a "reasonable time limit,'' according to Pistorius' legal camp.

"A blanket restriction on speaking to residents is unfair'' and infringes on Pistorius's rights to consult people on the estate to prepare for his trial, the appeal said.

Chief Magistrate Desmond Nair had set bail at 1 million rand ($113,000). The 26-year-old track star was also ordered to turn in any guns he owns, and cannot leave the district of Pretoria without his probation officer's permission.