Former TV host Andrew O’Keefe charged over alleged AVO breach

Embattled television personality Andrew O’Keefe will remain behind bars until the end of the month after he was arrested for allegedly breaching the conditions of an apprehended violence order.

The 51-year-old was arrested at a home in Sydney’s eastern suburbs about 11.30pm on Saturday before spending the night in a police cell.

Appearing via video link at Parramatta Local Court on Sunday, the former Deal or No Deal host was charged with contravening the conditions of the order.

“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,” NSW police said in a statement.

“The man was arrested and taken to Waverley Police Station where he was charged with one count of contravene restriction/prohibition in AVO (domestic).”

He was refused bail and will be held on remand until his next appearance in Downing Centre Local Court on August 30.

Mr O’Keefe faces a slew of charges over previous incidents including resisting police, drug possession and domestic violence-related assault charges over an alleged incident at Point Piper in September 2021.

Six charges relating to an alleged January 2022 incident at his Sydney CBD apartment were withdrawn in February after the prosecution’s sole witness and alleged victim left the country.

Police had alleged Mr O’Keefe choked a 38-year-old woman before he punched and kicked her in his Sydney CBD unit in January 2022.

Mr O’Keefe, a former lawyer and son of former NSW Supreme Court judge Barry O’Keefe, argued he acted in self-defence.

Police prosecutor Michael Cleaver withdrew charges of intentionally choke person without consent, common assault and assault occasioning actual bodily harm earlier this year.

Mr O’Keefe previously avoided a domestic violence conviction in June 2021 after charges were dealt with under the NSW Mental Health Act.

He was granted conditional release in May 2022 to attend a rehabilitation centre for up to 12 months to combat his cocaine, ice and cannabis abuse.

In April, Mr O’Keefe was charged after allegedly driving around Sydney’s eastern suburbs with drugs in his system after he was pulled over for a random roadside test at Point Piper in January.

AAP