Andrew O’Keefe charged with possessing cannabis, further charges expected to be laid

Former TV star Andrew O’Keefe, still in custody after alleged choking attack, has been charged with possessing cannabis.

Former Channel 7 host Andrew O'Keefe leaves Waverley court in Sydney after being acquitted of assaulting his ex-girlfriend last year. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

Police have laid one drug possession charge — and expect to file more charges — against beleaguered television star Andrew O’Keefe.

On Thursday the former TV star was charged with possessing 1.5 grams of cannabis on the same day he was arrested at the end of January.

Police say they intend to file additional charges at a further mention next Friday in relation to contravention of an apprehended violence order which was previously taken out against him.

Police will also file a detention application at his mention next week in a bid to keep him behind bars.

O’Keefe did not appear before the court, with his matter adjourned until Friday.

The former Channel 7 star has now spent the last eight nights in custody after it was alleged he allegedly choked, punched and pushed a woman.

Last Thursday police arrested O’Keefe at a serviced apartment in Sydney, and charged him with two counts of intentionally choking without consent, three counts of common assault and one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

The 50-year-old is alleged to have grabbed, punched and pushed the woman to the ground twice. Police are also alleging he assaulted her a second time by further punching and kicking her.

Following his arrest O’Keefe was filmed screaming and banging inside a paddy wagon after being charged with assault.

This is former TV presenter Andrew O'Keefe screaming and banging inside the back of a paddy wagon.

He was charged with multiple offences after allegedly assaulting a woman on Tuesday.

Full story: https://t.co/KhJydWGY98pic.twitter.com/4GdUofJ1Sa

— Liam Mendes (@liammendes) January 27, 2022

O’Keefe appeared angry and distraught, yelling “I’m a victim of crime” as he was taken to the Sydney Police Centre to spend the night behind bars.

As he was taken to Sydney Police Centre, an enraged O’Keefe kicked at the interior of a paddy wagon and screamed obscenities at journalists.

“F..k off, get rid of these f..king journalists, you douchebags,” he yelled.

NSW Police said a 38-year-old woman had attended a unit at Kent Street in the Sydney CBD on Tuesday last week to meet O’Keefe.

“A verbal argument ensued between the pair, before the man allegedly assaulted the woman – grabbing her by the throat, pushing her to the ground and punching her.

“The man allegedly assaulted the woman a second time – punching and kicking her – before she left the unit.”

The one-time Weekend Sunrise host left Channel 7 in February last year.

His contract had expired the previous year, and there were no plans to renew it.

O’Keefe was a familiar face at Channel 7 for 17 years, and appeared on a number of different programs on the network.

He was awarded an Order of Australia medal in 2017 for “significant service to the broadcast media as a television presenter, and to social welfare and charitable organisations”.

This is the third assault O‘Keefe had been accused of in the past year.

O’Keefe had two charges dismissed on mental health grounds in June last year, and he was arrested again in September charged with assault and breaching an apprehended violence order.