Embattled television personality Andrew O’Keefe has had a number of charges over an alleged altercation at a Sydney CBD apartment withdrawn as he faces a court hearing.
O’Keefe, 51, appeared in Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court on Monday, where he had some assault charges dropped after the alleged victim left the country.
Police had alleged O’Keefe choked a 38-year-old woman before he punched and kicked her in his Sydney CBD unit in January 2022.
O’Keefe, a former lawyer and son of former NSW Supreme Court judge Barry O’Keefe, argued he acted in self-defence.
Police prosecutor Michael Cleaver withdrew charges of intentionally choke person without consent, common assault and assault occasioning actual bodily harm on Monday.
“The prosecution case relies significantly on one single civilian witness who has left the country,” Sergeant Cleaver told the court.
O’Keefe still faces resist police, drug possession, and domestic violence-related assault charges.
The court was shown body-worn camera footage from police responding to an incident in Sydney’s east in September 2021.
Constable Elissa Major can be heard asking a woman if “he did that” to her arm, before she tearfully responds “yes”.
In an off-the-record conversation the woman told her O’Keefe had been on “a bender” and not slept, Const Major said.
In another video from the back of an ambulance at St Vincent’s Hospital, O’Keefe asks if police had seen photos of the woman’s injuries.
Const Major said she did not tell O’Keefe about any injuries or see any other police do so prior to his comment.
Richard Pontello SC, representing O’Keefe, said his client knew about the abrasions to the woman’s wrist because he had told police they were self-inflicted.
O’Keefe asked police to turn their body-worn cameras back on before making the comment, Mr Pontello said.
Const Major said she could not recall O’Keefe asking for cameras to be reactivated and only generally mentioned the woman’s injuries being self-inflicted, as she included in her statement.
“I can’t recall any conversation after I deactivated my body-worn camera,” Const Major told the court.
Mr Pontello on Monday indicated O’Keefe will plead guilty to one count of contravening an apprehended violence order and one count of possessing a prohibited drug.
O’Keefe previously avoided a domestic violence conviction in June 2021 after charges were dealt with under the NSW Mental Health Act.
He was granted conditional release in May 2022 to attend a rehabilitation centre for up to 12 months to combat his cocaine, ice and cannabis abuse.
The court was closed to the public on Monday afternoon while a witness gave evidence.
The hearing continues before magistrate Alison Viney on Tuesday.
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