Andrew O’Keefe ordered to enter pleas over drug-driving charge

Former TV host Andrew O’Keefe has less than a month to decide if he will fight allegations he drove with an illicit drug in his system as his latest legal battle returns to court.

The former Deal Or No Deal host was not required to appear before Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday as he faced a single charge of driving with an illicit drug present in his blood.

The 52-year-old was charged by NSW Police in August after officers allege Mr O’Keefe was busted driving with the drug in his system in Darlinghurst in Sydney’s CBD on April 14.

Appearing before the court on Tuesday, solicitor Jahan Kalantar applied for Mr O’Keefe’s matter to be moved to Waverley Local Court where he is facing a separate drug charge.

Mr Kalantar said he might be in a position on the next occasion to “resolve” the matter but said he had had some difficulty in getting instructions about the most recent allegations.

Magistrate Greg Gogin rejected the application and told Mr Kalantar that Mr O’Keefe must enter a plea to the driving charge when he returned to the same court on October 30.

The court was told Mr Kalantar was preparing a mental health application, likely to be Section 14 whereby an accused can avoid punishment due to their mental culpability.

It comes just weeks after the former White Ribbon ambassador was told he was “lucky to be alive” after a heroin overdose at his home in Sydney’s affluent suburb, Vaucluse.

Mr O’Keefe was subsequently charged with breaching his bail conditions and possessing a prohibited drug. He was remanded into custody, where he remains.

O’Keefe is also facing allegations he intimidated a man at a Point Piper address on July 28 as well as entering enclosed lands without permission and breaching an AVO.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges and will return to court later this week.

Last month, O’Keefe also failed in his bid to have domestic violence allegations overturned after he was sentenced last year over a “frightening and degrading” attack.