Oscar Pistorius grins at his birthday party as he awaits murder appeal verdict

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Photo of shamed sprinter shared by aunt on Twitter at 29th birthday party
Given five-year term for 2013 Valentine's Day killing, served only one in jail
Could face 10 more years' jail as prosecutors' appeal claims it was murder
Sprinter only seen once in public since his release under house arrest

By Jane Flanagan In Cape Town for MailOnline

Published: 06:06 EST, 23 November 2015 | Updated: 06:31 EST, 23 November 2015

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Oscar Pistorius poses for the camera surrounded by children at his 29th birthday party while under house arrest.

The shamed athlete smiled in the photo believed to have been taken on Sunday at his uncle's mansion where he is serving his sentence for killing girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

The paralympian looked relaxed despite facing being returned to jail on a murder charge following this month's appeal by prosecutors against his manslaughter conviction.

The shamed sprinter is now the same age as his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp was when he shot her dead at his house in February 2013.

Celebrations: Oscar Pistorius celebrated his 29th birthday with his family, including his uncle's grandchildren. This picture was shared by his aunt Lois on Twitter as they enjoyed the celebrations on Sunday

Keeping a low profile: The family said Pistorius' house arrest is simply 'the next phase of his sentence'. He has only been seen once in public since his release, attending community service

Wearing a navy t-shirt, Pistorius grins widely in the picture, surrounded by the 10 children smiling happily in the picture. They are grandchildren of Pistorius' aunt and uncle Lois and Arnold, at whose comfortable home he is staying.

Lois posted the picture on her twitter account captioned ‘Oscar Pistorius birthday party today’.

Fans of the double amputee athlete, who is living in a cottage in the grounds of their Pretoria mansion, shared and liked the image, adding their own birthday greetings.

It is in stark contrast to how the Steenkamps marked what would have been Reeva's 32nd birthday in August. Then, a handful of close family and friends went to the spot where her ashes had been scattered to remember the woman shot dead as she cowered in the bathroom.

Pistorius' release after just a year behind bars, during which time he was kept apart from the general prison population, has sparked criticism in South Africa, where violence against woman remains a problem.

A recent study of three provinces found one in four women had been the victim of violent crime in their lifetime, while in Gauteng, where Pistorius lives, 75 per cent of men have committed some form of violence against a woman, according to the Mail&Guardian.

In the face of the criticism, the Pistorius family has kept a low profile.

They released a statement hours after his release from prison in October after serving just under a year behind bars for shooting Reeva dead through the bathroom door on Valentine’s Day 2013.

In it they sought to address claims the runner was getting off lightly. They added that being under house arrest was simply 'entering the next phase of his sentence’.

Celebrations: However, other pictures, like this one tweeted by Rugby player Brett Sharman a few weeks ago with the hashtag 'weekendvibes!', suggest he has been enjoying himself with friends since his release

Party: The convicted killer is good friends with Sharman and was best man at his wedding. He was pictured at the wedding just a month before he was jailed for shooting dead girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp

The birthday party comes as South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal consider whether to uphold Pistorius’ manslaughter conviction - or convict him for murder.

They have not announced when they will share their decision, but legal commentators have given prosecutor Gerrie Nel a ‘good chance’ of success.

At the appeal, a panel of judges questioned Pistorius' lawyer over the athlete's actions on the night he shot model Reeva Steenkamp through his toilet door, which was locked.

Pistorius told the court he shot his girlfriend because he believed she was an intruder.

However, prosecutors said the trial judge made errors when she acquitted him of murder and convicted him of manslaughter.

Fatal shooting: Women's groups in South Africa ave been critical of the short sentence handed to Pistorius (pictured, left, in court during his trial) for killing Reeva, (right), with the sprinter before the killing two years ago

If the appeal is upheld, Pistorius will have to face his trial judge Thokozile Masipa again to be re-sentenced.

The now retired judge faced death threats after she cleared the sprinter of murder in October last year. If found guilty of murder, he will be sent back to jail to serve a longer sentence, for up to ten years.