Former Deal or No Deal host and White Ribbon ambassador Andrew O’Keefe has been charged over allegations he choked and punched a woman in his Sydney apartment.
NSW Police allege the disgraced Channel Seven host, who was once involved in drafting a federal government plan to reduce domestic violence, assaulted a 38-year-old woman believed to be his business partner.
Police say the two were discussing business propositions in his Sydney apartment on Tuesday when the alleged incident took place.
“A verbal argument ensued between the pair, before the man allegedly assaulted the woman – grabbing her by the throat, pushing her to the ground and punching her,” the police statement says, per ABC.
“The man allegedly assaulted the woman a second time — punching and kicking her — before she left the unit.”
The woman reported the assault on Wednesday, police say, and O’Keefe was arrested at 4.30am on Thursday morning.
Andrew O’Keefe is best known for hosting game shows like Deal or No Deal and The Chase, and was one of the founding members of anti-domestic violence charity White Ribbon Foundation. It’s because of that work that he was appointed to the national council for the Prevention of Violence Against Women.
O’Keefe was taken to Day Street Police Station, where he was charged with two counts of choking a person, three counts of common assault and one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Help is available.
If you require immediate assistance, please call 000.
If you’d like to speak to someone about domestic violence, please call the 1800
Respect hotline on 1800 737 732 or chat online.
Under 25? You can reach Kids Helpline at 1800 55 1800 or chat online.
