Home

O'Keefe hit with new DV assault charges

Hannah RyanAAP
Andrew O'Keefe, who has been accused of two more DV offences, remains in a mental health clinic.
Camera IconAndrew O'Keefe, who has been accused of two more DV offences, remains in a mental health clinic. Credit: AAP

Television personality Andrew O'Keefe has been hit with two new domestic violence assault charges as he continues his hospital stay.

The former Seven Network presenter is accused of assaulting girlfriend Orly Lavee at Kangaroo Valley, south of Sydney, on January 20.

The assault occurred just after 6.30am that Wednesday, police allege.

O'Keefe was arrested in the early hours of the morning on January 31 at Randwick for alleged violence against Ms Lavee, a haematologist.

Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE

Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.

READ NOW

He previously indicated he would plead guilty to common assault over that incident.

But a new charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm at Randwick and the Kangaroo Valley assault charge were mentioned at Waverley Local Court on Tuesday.

O'Keefe was excused from appearing because he remains an in-patient at the Sydney Clinic, a private mental health hospital, magistrate Ross Hudson said on Tuesday.

The former Weekend Sunrise host hasn't entered a plea on the fresh charges.

His case is due back at Waverley Local Court on June 25 for an application for it to be dealt with under mental health legislation.

A domestic violence order protecting Ms Lavee remains in place.

O'Keefe's lawyer told the court in February he had been an involuntary in-patient at Prince of Wales Hospital since his January 31 arrest.

O'Keefe, a former lawyer and son of former NSW Supreme Court judge Barry O'Keefe, was a founding member of the domestic violence charity, the White Ribbon Foundation, where he served as chairman in 2017. The organisation went into liquidation in 2019.

He was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 2017 for his service to television and charity work.

White Ribbon has distanced itself from Mr O'Keefe since his arrest.

Get the latest news from thewest.com.au in your inbox.

Sign up for our emails