Embattled TV host Andrew O’Keefe sheds tears in court as he fights charges over alleged attack on a woman

Controversial television presenter Andrew O’Keefe became emotional as he told a court a woman claims he kicked, spat and scratched her and that the injuries were self-inflicted.

The 52-year-old is fighting charges relating to an argument he had with a woman at an apartment in Sydney’s eastern suburbs in September 2021.

He attended court at Sydney’s Downing Center on Thursday and told the court he was staying at the woman’s home because he was in close contact with a Covid-infected person at the time.

He said an argument broke out between him and the woman, and she walked up to him in ‘contained anger’ and claimed he had called her child ‘act’, before telling him to leave and threatening to call the police.

He told the court that at one point the woman grabbed him in a “monkey-like grip” with her arms and he continued to walk with her entire body weight.

At the end of the incident, the 52-year-old woman told the court, the woman was “agitated” and he noticed her hand was on her wrist and her nails were digging into her skin.

Former Channel Seven star Andrew O’Keefe, 52, is fighting charges relating to an argument he had with a woman at an apartment in Sydney’s eastern suburbs in September 2021.

O’Keefe told the court he was surprised by the woman’s claim that he had called her child ac*** and told the woman he would never call a child that word.

He said that as he tried to retrieve his belongings, the woman followed him, and there were times he pushed her aside and “pushed past her” with his body.

After leaving the bathroom with his medication, he told the court the woman “hit him in the chest with the back of her hand.”

“I told her… ‘if you’re going to call the police, great because you just attacked me,'” O’Keefe told the court.

O’Keefe said something tripped them and both he and the woman started falling in the hallway, with his weight on top of her.

The former television host stood up and found the rest of his belongings before making sure the woman was okay, saying goodbye and heading for the door.

He became emotional as he told the court he had said goodbye to the children, saying the woman told him: “I don’t know why I ever let you back into my life.”

O’Keefe told the court he was surprised by the woman’s claim that he had called her child ac*** and told the woman he would never call a child that word.

During the first part of the hearing earlier this year, neighbor Nicole Taylor told the court on the night of the alleged incident that she could hear O’Keefe singing in the apartment below her before it turned into a “scuffle.”

Mrs Taylor went to check on her neighbor and told the court she could tell O’Keefe was ‘aggressive and angry’ while the alleged victim tried to ‘calm him down’.

“She (the woman) had scratches on her arms and marks on her chest,” Ms Taylor said.

O’Keefe became emotional during questioning by his lawyer, Richard Pontello SC, and denied punching, kicking and assaulting the woman in any way.

O’Keefe became emotional during questioning by his lawyer, Richard Pontello SC, and denied punching, kicking and assaulting the woman in any way.

When asked if he held her down, he said “no.”

The court was told O’Keefe was ill at the time of the incident and eventually crawled to the front steps of the building where police found him about half an hour later and told him they were there to see the woman .

O’Keefe told the court he asked the officers if he could make a statement himself, but they “kind of laughed at him” and said “why would you do that?”

During the first part of this year’s hearing, footage was played to the court showing O’Keefe sprawled on the stairs. complain of chest pain.

In the video, O’Keefe can be heard moaning and complaining that he has something ‘busty’.

Footage shows police finding the complainant, who is seen crying and holding her wrist, which is covered in scratches.

On Wednesday, Footage was shown to the court of O’Keefe’s arrest two days after the alleged incident.

O’Keefe spent almost five months in custody after being charged with the crimes before being released on bail.

He is fighting charges of common assault, resisting a police officer, possession of a prohibited drug and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

He has pleaded guilty to breaching an AVO.

The former TV star has faced a different kind of spotlight since the assault allegations came to light following a long career at Channel 7.

In 2017 he was appointed Member of the Order of Australia for his charity work and television achievements.

The hearing continues before Magistrate Alison Viney.