'Semi-nude Steenkamp photos not intended for Pistorius'

Semi-nude photos of Oscar Pistorius dead girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp have reportedly emerged in the United States, with the photographer who shot them suggesting that they were not intended for the eyes of the Paralympian.

Steenkamp posed for the series of black-and-white pictures, which show the blond bikini model sprawled on an unmade bed in just a pair of lacy panties, two months before she began dating the Blade Runner, New York Daily News reported.

The report further said that the photos, including one of Steenkamp showing off a tattoo on her upper back of the Italian phrase for 'Only God will Judge Me', come one day after Pistorius' murder trial was put on hold.

Stating that he took the steamy shots on Steenkamp's urging, photographer Garreth Barclay said that the model asked him as a personal favour to take them for her as she wanted to give them to a man she was dating, adding that Steenkamp did not reveal who the photos were for.

According to Barclay, Steenkamp wanted the pictures to be sensual, soft and done in an artistic way, adding that the South African model had loved the pictures.

Barclay snapped the photos in September 2012, adding that Steenkamp did not begin dating Pistorius until November 2012, three months before he shot her to death in his Pretoria home.

Before hooking up with Pistorius, Steenkamp dated South African rugby player Francois Hougaard, who had reportedly exchanged text messages with Steenkamp on the day she died, the report added.