O’Keefe allegedly found driving on meth
Embattled former television personality Andrew O’Keefe has returned to court after he allegedly drove with meth in his system.
The 51-year-old was driving his grey Mercedes C200 through the exclusive Sydney suburb of Point Piper when he was stopped by police on January 20.
He underwent a random roadside breath test just after midnight which returned a positive result for methamphetamine.
The former television personality was subsequently taken for a secondary oral fluid test and his driver’s licence was suspended.
He was arrested at his home on Tuesday and was charged with driving a vehicle with an illicit drug present in blood and breaching his bail conditions.
The Vaucluse resident was refused bail and appeared before Waverley Local Court on Tuesday.
“On Friday 20 January 2023, officers attached to Eastern Suburbs Police Area Command stopped a vehicle on Wunulla Rd, Point Piper,” NSW Police said in a statement.
“Police spoke with the driver, a 51-year-old man, who was subjected to a random roadside drug test before being taken to Waverley Police Station, where he underwent a secondary oral fluid test and his licence suspended.
“Following inquiries, the man was arrested at a Vaucluse home about 10.50am (Tuesday).
“He was taken to Waverley Police Station where he was charged with drive vehicle with illicit drug present in blood and with breach of bail and refused bail.”
The former Deal or No Deal host was granted bail on Tuesday on the condition he undergo drug and alcohol testing, not take alcohol or non-prescription drugs and that he undergo treatment by a psychologist or psychiatrist.
He will next appear before Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court on May 2.
In February this year unrelated charges relating to allegations that Mr O’Keefe had choked a woman without her consent were dropped.
The 51-year-old fronted Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court, where the police prosecution told the court the complainant was no longer in the country.
The court was told the woman returned to her home country.
He is also due to face court in November where he will contest a string of unrelated charges including two counts of common assault, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, two counts of possessing a prohibited drug and two counts of contravening an AVO.
For 17 years, O’Keefe appeared as the face of many programs on Channel 7, including Weekend Sunrise and Deal or No Deal.
He served on the National Council for the Prevention of Violence Against Women and chaired the National Leadership Group of the well-known White Ribbon Australia organisation dedicated to the cause in 2005.
He has not played any part in White Ribbon Australia since it was bought out of liquidation in 2020.
In 2017, he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for his charity work and accomplishments in television.
