Andrew O’Keefe’s second attempt to get bail has gone awry and ended with O’Keefe continually interrupting and being denied bail.
To speak in-game show terms, if this was a deal or no deal situation, the result was no deal.
O’Keefe appeared in court again in an attempt to secure bail. His previous effort was denied, and he has been in prison since March, awaiting his next chance.
The former quiz show host faces six charges after he allegedly assaulted a woman by pushing her to the ground, punching her and grabbing her by the throat.
At the time of the alleged assault, there was some really distressing footage of O’Keefe being arrested that made the rounds online.
This is former TV presenter Andrew O'Keefe screaming and banging inside the back of a paddy wagon.
He was charged with multiple offences after allegedly assaulting a woman on Tuesday.
Full story: https://t.co/KhJydWGY98 pic.twitter.com/4GdUofJ1Sa
— Liam Mendes (@liammendes) January 27, 2022
O’Keefe has pleaded not guilty to all charges of assault and has been in custody ever since.
New.com.au reported that he appeared via AVL at Sydney’s Central Local Court yesterday in a bid to get bail. However, things took a turn for the worst when O’Keefe ended up in an argument with The Magistrate presiding on the matter and kept interrupting.
It all started out civil enough; news.com.au reported that O’Keefe’s lawyer Sharon Ramsden lodged a second bail application and presented the alternative option of O’Keefe going to rehab. She’d even found one with a bed available for him.
She also suggested that because there was a “lack of injury” on the complainant, O’Keefe should be in rehab rather than prison.
However, O’Keefe kept interrupting, and when he was called out on that, he said: “I’m getting the truth out there.”
Things got tenser when it was pointed out that O’Keefe’s offending had previously taken place while on bail.
O’Keefe then piped up and said: “Alleged behaviour, Your Honour, nothing is confirmed.”
By this point, the magistrate was fed up and replied, “Are you trying to sabotage your own application?”
O’Keefe continued to interrupt until, eventually O’Keefe was told he had, “significant attitudinal problems.”
O’Keefe retorted and said: “It’s not an attitudinal problem; it’s a technical problem.”
The magistrate warned O’Keefe that if he continued he could be held in contempt of court.
Finally, news.com.au reported that the Magistrate declared that he was initially going to allow for O’Keefe to go to rehab until his behaviour in court had changed his mind.
“I would have been inclined to grant bail if not for the ongoing behaviour of Mr O’Keefe in the court.
“Someone who is qualified as a lawyer and has been in court on several occasions, there have been several warnings. I am presented with a man who cannot be trusted with complying with directions.”
His bail was then firmly denied.
O’Keefe said: “The transcript will say I was not arguing. I was trying to help you, Your Honour.”
“You have no interest in justice,” O’Keefe declared before storming off.
