Beleaguered TV star Andrew O’Keefe ‘had the urge to spit’ during argument as judge dismisses his domestic abuse claims

Andrew O’Keefe has failed to convince a court that a woman lied about being sexually assaulted by him, after the former game show host had a tendency to spit at her during arguments.

District Judge John Pickering upheld O’Keefe’s domestic violence convictions on Monday after rejecting his lawyers’ arguments that the woman had scratched her arm herself and later blamed O’Keefe.

However, the judge dismissed other drug possession charges after ruling that there was no evidence that items found in a locker in O’Keefe’s apartment belonged to him.

The troubled former Seven Network presenter was convicted in January of three counts of domestic violence, two counts of breaching an AVO against him and two counts of possession of a prohibited drug.

He was sentenced to 18 months’ community service under a community service order, which carries supervision and reporting obligations, and a $800 fine for drug offences.

O’Keefe previously presented Weekend Sunrise, the Today Show and a number of game shows including The Chase until his contract with Seven Network expired at the end of 2020 and he was replaced by Larry Emdur.

During an attack in September 2021, O’Keefe was found to have pushed the woman against a doorway, struck her with the heel of his hand and forced her to the ground, before kicking her in the thigh and scratching her chest with his nails.

However, O’Keefe’s lawyer, Phillip Boulten SC, said the woman’s claim that she had cut her hand open on a hinge after being pushed through the door was not supported by physical evidence.

Andrew O’Keefe failed to overturn his domestic violence convictions on Monday

The former morning TV show and game show host has fought off a series of domestic violence and drug-related charges

Mr Boulten said that if it was found that the woman had not been truthful about the scratches on her arm, her entire evidence should be rejected.

Judge Pickering told the court he saw no reason why the woman would lie about the attack, noting that she had indicated at the time that she did not wish to make a complaint to police.

“It was clear from her communications with police that she did not want police to get involved in this,” he said.

‘I don’t see what advantage the complainant had in this.

“I am satisfied that the complainant was a truthful witness to this incident.”

As the verdict was read in court, O’Keefe shook his head in frustration and handed written notes to his attorney.

O’Keefe has admitted there was an argument, but he claims he accidentally bumped into the woman because they were so close together, and that he did not push her.

The woman claimed that after her fall, O’Keefe told her, “Good job, I barely touched you.”

Judge Pickering ruled that the court could initially sentence O’Keefe to use an earlier incident from January 2021, in which O’Keefe admitted spitting in the same woman’s eye, to determine who was telling the truth.

“Most men in our community don’t behave this way,” he said.