Andrew O’Keefe breaks down in court
Andrew O’Keefe has broken down in court after promising the magistrate he would steer clear of drugs.
The embattled TV host and his lawyer fronted court to make an unexpected guilty plea, after he was arrested for allegedly breaching an AVO.
On August 19th, police were called to a unit in Point Piper and took O’Keefe to Waverley Police Station where he was charged with contravening a restriction of prohibition of an apprehended violence order.
He was then refused bail in Parramatta Bail Court the following day, with the matter set down for August 30th.
However, O’Keefe’s solicitor Sharon Ramsden fronted court on Friday for an unexpected mention where she told Magistrate Greg Grogin her client would be entering a plea of guilty.
Ramsden told the court that O’Keefe was at the apartment, which he was prohibited from attending, to collect some of his belongings.
“There was no contact between the parties, and she returned to the property at 11:45pm having been on a walk,” Ms Ramsden said.
Ms Ramsden asked the Magistrate to consider sentencing O’Keefe to a conditional release order without a conviction, to which the police prosecutor Michael Cleaver did not oppose.
Magistrate Grogin then addressed O’Keefe directly, asking if the former television presenter could abstain from drugs which aren’t prescribed by his doctors.
“One thing I don’t do, I don’t try to set people up to fail … can you fulfil that obligation?” the magistrate asked.
O’Keefe responded: “Your Honour, I can guarantee that will be my sincere endeavour.”
Mr Grogin sentenced O’Keefe to a conditional release order with no conviction, to which O’Keefe thanked the magistrate through tears.
“Mr O’Keefe, on a personal basis you have been through some hard times,” the magistrate said.
“You’re going to have good days and bad days and you’re going to go forward and go back, you must comply with court orders … the leniency will not be extended forever.”
Image credits: Getty Images