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Disgraced former TV personality Andrew O’Keefe told a police officer who allegedly found a crack pipe in his jacket pocket that the item of clothing “was worn by someone else”, a court has been told.
A gaunt and hoarse-voiced O’Keefe sat calmly in the dock as his solicitor Sharon Ramsden applied for his release on bail at Waverley Local Court on Monday morning.
Police allege the former Deal or No Deal host failed a drugs test after he was stopped shortly before midday on Sunday in Sydney’s opulent Bellevue Hill.
Officers further allege the 52-year-old threatened a man at an address on Longworth Ave in the neighbouring suburb of Point Piper “a short time” before the stop.
Appearing in court on Monday, O’Keefe allegedly confronted the man “possibly out of jealousy” following a “reunion” with his former partner.
“It certainly wasn’t a situation where someone just turned up at the door and knocked on the door to say hello, but there was this assault,” the police prosecutor told the court.
The prosecutor said O’Keefe knew he “shouldn’t be” at the property and had admitted to police he had “one foot in the door”.
He said O’Keefe had appeared to be under the influence of drugs and when they asked him about a crack pipe in his pocket he told them the jacket “was being carried by someone else” and did not belong to him.
Andrew O’Keefe told a police officer who allegedly found a crack pipe in his jacket pocket that the item of clothing “was worn by someone else”, a court has been told.
Officers further allege the 52-year-old threatened a man at an address on Longworth Ave in the neighbouring suburb of Point Piper “a short time” before the stop.
Although Ms Ramsden told the court “the allegations were denied”, she admitted O’Keefe had made admissions to police because he was concerned the house was being burgled.
“He can enter the property, but he cannot go inside. Later that day he was having lunch with her (the ex-partner). He arrived at the property and saw the door ajar,” he said.
‘She (the ex-partner) is not at home and there is no threat towards her and there is no statement from her, which is important to assess the prosecution’s case.’
Ms Ramsden said O’Keefe visited the house and after an initial conversation returned, at which point the man told her: “If you don’t leave, it’s going to be very bad for you.”
She told the court the former TV presenter took the statement as a threat and there was “nothing to back up” claims he had been arguing with someone on the phone.
In support of the bail application, Ms Ramsden said O’Keefe would provide daily urine samples for drug testing and his sister would provide a $1000 surety to the court.
The prosecutor, meanwhile, opposed O’Keefe’s release, arguing that he was a “danger to the community” because of his alleged drugged driving while suspended.
O’Keefe was eventually granted bail despite the magistrate telling the 52-year-old there were “many aspects of the police proceedings which are concerning”.
“There is a real concern that you were somewhere you didn’t belong and that drugs could still be a factor in your life, but I am willing to give you the opportunity to continue your treatment,” she said.
Sunday’s arrest comes after O’Keefe was issued a court summons for driving with a suspended license on June 20 following a vehicle stop in Bellevue Hill.
In January, he was also convicted of a domestic violence charge dating back to September 2021, when he kicked and spit on a woman.
He was found guilty of common assault, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, two counts of possession of a prohibited drug and contravening an apprehended violence order.
However, he avoided jail and was sentenced to a 12-month community corrections order and three 18-month community corrections orders for the domestic violence offences.
