Troubled TV star Andrew O’Keefe to front court over fresh drug charges following arrest, overdose
Troubled ex-Deal or No Deal star Andrew O’Keefe has been hit with fresh charges, just days after being hospitalised following a drug overdose.
Troubled former TV star Andrew O’Keefe is facing fresh charges just days after being hospitalised following an overdose on heroin.
Police arrested the 52-year-old about 2.30pm on Monday at Rose Bay Police Station following further inquiries.
Prohibited drugs were then found during a search of a nearby vehicle.
The drugs were sent for further analysis, and Mr O’Keefe was taken to Waverley Police Station.
He has since been charged with breach of bail and possess prohibited drug.
Mr O’Keefe was refused bail and is set to front Waverley Local Court on Tuesday.
The charges follow a welfare call made over Mr O’Keefe on Saturday, with the former Deal or No Deal host being treated for an overdose.
“Officers attached to Eastern Suburbs Police Area Command were called to a home unit on Old South Head Road at Vaucluse about 3.40am (on Saturday), responding to concerns for the welfare of a 52-year-old man,” a police spokesperson confirmed on Monday.
“NSW Ambulance paramedics rendered assistance to the man before taking him to St Vincent’s Hospital.”
“Inquiries into the incident are continuing.”
O’Keefe has since been released from hospital.
The overdose happened just six days after he successfully overturned a drug conviction, but failed to overturn domestic violence convictions, at the Sydney Downing Centre District Court last week.
The former Channel 7 star and one-time domestic violence prevention ambassador was found guilty and sentenced to a 12-month and three 18-month community corrections orders in January after the magistrate ruled he had inflicted a “frightening and degrading” attack on a woman.
The court was told O’Keefe got into an argument with the woman after she accused him of slandering her child in September 2021.
The woman said O’Keefe pushed her against a door, injuring her wrist and hand, before kicking her and digging his nails into her skin.
She told police he then told her “good riddance” and tried to spit on her as she left.
During the argument, O’Keefe allegedly told the woman: “Nice acting, I barely touched you.”
O’Keefe claimed the woman had inflicted the injuries on herself or sustained them when he “accidentally” fell on top of her during the argument.
Last Monday, Judge John Pickering dismissed the former Deal or No Deal host’s appeal, which had suggested the victim had been untruthful.
“I struggle to see any aspect of a motive to lie here,” he said.
“I do not in any way think the complainant just evilly made this up.”
O’Keefe became agitated in court, making noises of dissent and shaking his head as the judgment was delivered.
He previously railed against domestic violence offences as the chairman of the White Ribbon Australia organisation, which aims to prevent violence against women.
The 52-year-old was an ambassador for the charity from its inception in 2007 until it was dissolved in 2019.
Following his failed appeal, he was convicted of domestic violence-related assaults and one contravention of an apprehended violence order.
The former host of The Chase also appealed his conviction for possessing an illegal drug mephedrone, known as “meow meow”.
Judge Pickering found there was reasonable doubt about whether O’Keefe had any knowledge of the drug being stored inside his apartment.
He upheld the appeal and quashed the drug conviction.
O’Keefe has waged a public battle against drug addiction and has been in and out of rehabilitation centres for the past three years.
During his sentencing, the local court magistrate found his drug addiction had “robbed him” of his successful and high-profile media career and happy marriage.
Outside court last week, O’Keefe told journalists he was “very disappointed” with the judgment but he wouldn’t continue to fight it.
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