Andrew O’Keefe’s domestic violence charges dismissed on mental health grounds
Assault charges against Andrew O’Keefe have been dismissed on mental health grounds after a court heard he was having a manic bipolar episode when an argument with his girlfriend broke out.
Police & Courts
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Former TV personality Andrew O’Keefe’s assault charges have been dismissed after a court heard he was having a manic bipolar episode when he struck his ex-girlfriend who had accused him of bringing an ice pipe to a party.
And during the row Dr Orly Lavee told O’Keefe: “The relationship meant nothing to me”, to which he replied: “That’s a real spit in the face” and then spat on her face, Waverley Local Court was told on Friday.
The former Deal or No Deal host, of Paddington, told the court he wanted his two offences dealt with under section 32 of the mental health act after being charged with assaulting Dr Lavee during the tiff at their Randwick apartment last January.
O’Keefe’s lawyers revealed the 49-year-old has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and argued he was in a “hypomanic” phase of his condition during the incident.
But police opposed the section 32 application and argued he should be dealt with in the normal criminal justice system, pointing to injuries Dr Lavee suffered to her lip and back.
Magistrate Ross Hudson read out a fact sheet on the case and said the couple started arguing at the birthday party in Surry Hills when Dr Lavee put her hands down O’Keefe’s pocket and accused him of bringing an ice pipe to the do.
O‘Keefe denied having a pipe but they kept on arguing when they returned home to Randwick when Dr Lavee took his phone and accused him of cheating, the court heard.
“(Their) heads clashed … he said: ‘I think it’s over’ and (Dr Lavee) replied: ‘The relationship meant nothing to me’ and he said: ‘That’s a real spit in the face’ and then spat in her face,” Mr Hudson said.
O’Keefe said to Dr Lavee: “You are cruel and heartless”, to which she replied: “Get out – I hate you”.
Police were called and O’Keefe later admitted to spitting, slapping and kicking her during the argument.
The court was told he was admitted as an involuntary patient to a mental health facility following the incident.
Mr Hudson said the public was fed up with this offending, which he said all too often occurs “behind closed doors”.
“This is a matter of domestic violence, it’s offending which the community will not tolerate, it’s offending which happens in so many ways,” he said.
However, the magistrate also took into account O’Keefe’s serious mental health condition and ultimately decided to dismiss his two charges of common assault and assault occasioning actual bodily harm under the Mental Health Act.
Another charge of common assault O’Keefe was facing against Dr Lavee that was said to have occurred in Kangaroo Valley was dropped in court before the mental health application.
More to come.
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