PRETORIA, South Africa — Oscar Pistorius was taken away in a police van with barred windows Tuesday to start serving a five-year prison sentence for killing girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

Delivering her sentence, Judge Thokozile Masipa cited the “gross negligence” the double-amputee Olympic runner showed when he shot Steenkamp multiple times through a toilet cubicle door in his home.

Pistorius, who had cried and retched during his trial, was unemotional as he stood to hear his sentence. His prison term begins immediately and he was led down a flight of stairs and toward holding cells before leaving the South African courthouse in the armored vehicle.

Pistorius could be released after 10 months in jail to serve the remainder under house arrest, according to legal experts.

Steenkamp’s parents were also in court to hear the sentence and the dead model’s mother, June, said justice had been done. A close friend of Steenkamp, Gina Myers, said: “I really don’t think any of us will heal anytime soon … there will always be questions.”

Pistorius’ uncle, Arnold Pistorius, said: “Oscar will embrace this opportunity to pay back to society.” He appealed to reporters to give the family privacy after what he called “20 months of relentless public trial.”

Pistorius’ uncle also criticized state prosecutors for pursuing a premeditated charge against Pistorius, and said “they decided to inflict as much collateral damage as they could.”

Masipa said her sentence was a balancing act between retribution and clemency.

“I am of the view that a non-custodial sentence would send a wrong message to the community,” Masipa said after summarizing parts of the case and explaining why she reached her decision. “On the other hand, a long sentence would not be appropriate either as it would lack the element of mercy.”

Masipa last month convicted Pistorius of culpable homicide, but acquitted him of murder after he testified he mistook Steenkamp for a nighttime intruder.