Andrew O’Keefe summoned by the magistrate into court
Troubled TV star Andrew O’Keefe is expected to enter rehab in a desperate bid to turn his life around after being arrested and charged following a near-fatal heroin overdose.
The 53-year-old’s lawyers told Waverley Local Court in Sydney’s east on Thursday he plans to plead guilty to a drug possession charge, as well as separate charges of trespassing and breaching a court order relating to an incident in July.
Prosecutors have agreed to drop an additional harassment charge conditional on guilty pleas, the court was told.
O’Keefe appeared in court via video link from prison.
Magistrate Jacqueline Milledge agreed with a proposal from his lawyers that he enter a three-month rehabilitation program as soon as possible.
“Your life has gone completely off the rails,” she told O’Keefe.
“The only person who is going to make your life different is you.”
In a candid appeal to the former TV star, Ms Milledge said the general public saw the “pathos” in his situation and wanted him to succeed.
Andrew O’Keefe has appeared in court via video link following a near-fatal heroin overdose. Photo: NewsWire/Max Mason-Hubers
Magistrate Jacqueline Milledge told Andrew O’Keefe he was the only person who could turn his life around
“Nobody says ‘isn’t he a monster?'” she said.
‘Everyone says: ‘Isn’t that a shame?’
Ms Milledge noted that domestic abuse was part of O’Keefe’s offending, which she described as particularly appalling given his previous role as an ambassador for the advocacy group White Ribbon.
“I really believe you believed that at the time,” she said.
O’Keefe’s lawyer Jahan Kalantar said his client was at a crossroads, where one path led to institutionalized behavior and the other to getting his life back on track.
“We say this option is a real opportunity for this man to get his life in order,” he said.
The former game show host had his bail revoked in September, days after he suffered a reported overdose.
Emergency services responded to an incident at a home in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, after which police searched a nearby car and found methamphetamine.
The ex-TV star was on bail at the time after allegedly breaching an AVO and assaulting and intimidating a man in Sydney’s eastern suburbs in July.
O’Keefe was a presenter on Seven for more than 15 years and presented the game show Deal or No Deal and the breakfast program Weekend Sunrise.
He was convicted of domestic violence in January and the appeal was rejected earlier in September.
An appeal against other drug possession charges was accepted and the conviction was quashed.
The court will sentence O’Keefe later on Thursday.
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