O’Keefe avoids jail time
Embattled television presenter Andrew O’Keefe has avoided jail time for kicking and spitting at a woman during a “frightening and degrading” domestic violence assault.
The 52-year-old faced Sydney Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday where he was found guilty of common assault, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, possessing a prohibited drug, and contravening an apprehended violence order.
The former host of Channel 7’s Deal or No Deal pleaded guilty to the AVO charge but fought the rest of the charges in a three day hearing.
The string of charges date back to September 2021, when O’Keefe allegedly violently assaulted a woman in a Sydney apartment before resisting police during his subsequent arrest.
He smiled broadly and wore a colourful pale green plaid suit with a blue and white checked shirt as he entered the courthouse.
However, he became agitated in court when Magistrate Alison Viney found him guilty of assaulting the woman and spitting at her during the violent altercation.
The former Weekend Sunrise host muttered angrily and scoffed while shaking his head as the magistrate found he had kicked and spat at the woman in her own home.
Ms Viney sentenced him to a 12-month community corrections order and three 18-month community corrections orders for the raft of charges.
The magistrate also found O’Keefe guilty of being in possession of two illegal drugs, which were found in his apartment when he was arrested over the domestic violence charges.
The former TV personality was convicted of both charges and fined $800.
The magistrate dismissed the charge of resisting arrest after determining police did not act in the execution of their duty during the arrest.