Alex Cracknell
Money & Banking

Andrew O'Keefe back behind bars

Andrew O'Keefe, the once-celebrated television personality, has found himself under fresh legal scrutiny after an alleged incident on Saturday evening in a residential unit located in the serene eastern districts of Sydney.

O'Keefe is now slated for a prolonged stay behind bars, as a result of his arrest on charges of reportedly violating the terms of an apprehended violence order.

The 51-year-old was apprehended at a residence in Sydney's eastern suburbs, with his subsequent hours spent within a police holding cell.

Law enforcement intervened in response to a situation at an address on Longworth Avenue in Point Piper, an enclave within Sydney's eastern quarters, at approximately 11:45 pm on Saturday.

Appearing via remote video link at Parramatta Local Court on Sunday, the former host of Deal or No Deal was formally charged with violating the terms of the restraining order.

According to a statement from New South Wales police: "Officers attended a unit on Longworth Avenue, Point Piper, following reports that a 51-year-old man was at the unit in breach of an Apprehended Violence Order. The man was arrested and taken to Waverley Police Station where he was charged with one count of contravene restriction/prohibition in AVO (domestic)."

Bail was denied, and he will remain in custody until his upcoming appearance at Downing Centre Local Court on August 30.

O'Keefe's legal woes extend to multiple charges stemming from previous incidents, encompassing accusations of resisting arrest, drug possession, and domestic violence-related assault in connection to a purported event at Point Piper in September 2021.

Charges related to an alleged occurrence in January 2022 at his Sydney CBD residence were dropped in February after the sole witness and alleged victim, the prosecution's key source, left the country.

According to police, O'Keefe was accused of choking a 38-year-old woman and subsequently assaulting her within his Sydney CBD dwelling in January 2022.

O'Keefe, who previously practiced law and is the son of former NSW Supreme Court justice Barry O'Keefe, maintained that his actions were grounded in self-defense.

Earlier this year, police prosecutor Michael Cleaver withdrew charges of intentional choking without consent, common assault, and assault causing actual bodily harm.

In June 2021, O'Keefe managed to evade a domestic violence conviction, as charges were resolved under the purview of the NSW Mental Health Act.

In May 2022, he was conditionally released to attend a rehabilitation facility for a period of up to 12 months, aimed at addressing his struggles with cocaine, methamphetamine, and cannabis misuse.

In April, O'Keefe encountered charges after purportedly operating a vehicle under the influence of drugs in Sydney's eastern suburbs, arising from a routine roadside test in Point Piper in January.

Images: Seven News

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Andrew O'Keefe