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Andrew O’Keefe breaks down in court

<p dir="ltr">Andrew O’Keefe has broken down in court after promising the magistrate he would steer clear of drugs. </p> <p dir="ltr">The embattled TV host and his lawyer fronted court to make an unexpected guilty plea, after he was arrested for allegedly breaching an AVO. </p> <p dir="ltr">On August 19th, police were called to a unit in Point Piper and took O’Keefe to Waverley Police Station where he was charged with contravening a restriction of prohibition of an apprehended violence order.</p> <p dir="ltr">He was then refused bail in Parramatta Bail Court the following day, with the matter set down for August 30th.</p> <p dir="ltr">However, O’Keefe’s solicitor Sharon Ramsden fronted court on Friday for an unexpected mention where she told Magistrate Greg Grogin her client would be entering a plea of guilty.</p> <p dir="ltr">Ramsden told the court that O’Keefe was at the apartment, which he was prohibited from attending, to collect some of his belongings. </p> <p dir="ltr">“There was no contact between the parties, and she returned to the property at 11:45pm having been on a walk,” Ms Ramsden said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Ms Ramsden asked the Magistrate to consider sentencing O’Keefe to a conditional release order without a conviction, to which the police prosecutor Michael Cleaver did not oppose.</p> <p dir="ltr">Magistrate Grogin then addressed O’Keefe directly, asking if the former television presenter could abstain from drugs which aren’t prescribed by his doctors.</p> <p dir="ltr">“One thing I don’t do, I don’t try to set people up to fail … can you fulfil that obligation?” the magistrate asked.</p> <p dir="ltr">O’Keefe responded: “Your Honour, I can guarantee that will be my sincere endeavour.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Grogin sentenced O’Keefe to a conditional release order with no conviction, to which O’Keefe thanked the magistrate through tears.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Mr O’Keefe, on a personal basis you have been through some hard times,” the magistrate said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“You’re going to have good days and bad days and you’re going to go forward and go back, you must comply with court orders … the leniency will not be extended forever.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

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Neighbours star's AVO nightmare after magistrate’s “wrong” call

<p>Former <em>Neighbours</em> star Madeleine West has won an appeal to overturn an AVO taken out against her on behalf of the father of her ex-husband, celebrity chef Shannon Bennett.</p> <p>West, 42, was described by a magistrate as “evasive, almost aggressive and frightening” when giving evidence about an altercation involving her ex-husband’s father Benny Clifton Bennet at his son’s Byron Bay home on May 4 2022.</p> <p>The AVO was granted after the Local Court hearing.</p> <p>However, West appealed the decision in the NSW District Court after being granted a temporary stay on the two-year order, which bans her from Bennett’s Byron Bay property while her father-in-law comes to visit her children.</p> <p>Although the Local Court found West had “barged” onto her ex-husband’s property, Judge Jonathan Priestly ruled the magistrate had made a “wrong” decision based on “erroneous finding”.</p> <p>Judge Priestly found Bennett’s father was acting out of loyalty for his son during the incident.</p> <p>West’s lawyers amid the appeal argued that the magistrates “erred in finding the fears of the older Mr Bennett were reasonably based”.</p> <p>They claimed the conduct, taking the surrounding circumstances into consideration “did not amount to harassment”.</p> <p>The judge said the grandfather’s “fear of harassment” was an outcome of being “distressingly” caught in the middle of a dispute between his son and West.</p> <p>He admitted to the court that he had spoken to her amicably one day before the alleged “barging”.</p> <p>Bennett’s father described West as “uncontrollable” and “irrational”, but Judge Priestly said these claims were not supported by CCTV footage.</p> <p>“I accept that the magistrate was wrong to find that the appellant (West) barged into the property,” he ruled.</p> <p>“A number of errors of the magistrate have been identified. By basing her decision on those erroneous findings her Honour’s decision is wrong.”</p> <p>Judge Priestley found Bennett's father had been “unwittingly involved” by his son and the chances of reoccurring disputes were “negligible”.</p> <p>“There is no need for the order,” the judge said.</p> <p>The AVO was dismissed and Judge Priestly called on lawyers to prepare arguments on costs to be heard in July.</p> <p>West was on <em>Neighbours</em> for six years over two periods of time, from 2000 to 2003 and 2017 to 2020.</p> <p>She appeared in hundreds of episodes as characters Dee Bliss and then Andrew Somers.</p> <p>West was hit by a bus while filming for the soap and suffered head injuries which resulted in her having to relearn motor skills.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Instagram</em></p>

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Man served with AVO after turning up on Sophie Monk’s doorstep

<p>A man has been served with an AVO after he turned up at Sophie Monk’s home clutching a single red rose; claiming he was the victim of an elaborate catfishing scam that robbed him of $7,000.</p> <p>Brian Rapley said police questioned him “like I was some crazed stalker” but insisted that he had months of messages on his phone between him and the person he had believed to be Monk.</p> <p>“I feel like such an idiot,” he told the Daily Telegraph. “But I thought we were in a relationship."</p> <p>Police were called on April 25 to Monk’s NSW Central Coast home after a man was spotted outside at 7:30am calling her name. He returned later that evening and was swarmed by police.</p> <p>Rapley, 49, said five police cars descended on him.</p> <p>"They said to me, ‘What are you here to do to Sophie Monk?’ and I said, ‘I’m here to meet her for the first time, we are in a relationship'."</p> <p>Monk wasn’t home at the time as she was with her husband Joshua Gross in Queensland filming a movie Zombie Plane with US entertainer Vanilla Ice.</p> <p>“I do not know any person by the name of Brian Rapley. I am not in a relationship with anyone by the name of Brian Rapley. I am currently happily married to my husband Joshua Gross,” Monk said in a statement to police.</p> <p>Rapley wasn’t officially charged but was served with an AVO and told not to approach the TV personality.<br />He had told police that he genuinely believed it was Monk he was communicating with after he left a message on her verified Instagram account.</p> <p>“Then next thing I get a message from another account but with the same profile pic as Sophie, saying, ‘Hey, it's Sophie … let’s chat here, my manager reads my official account, so this is better,’” he told the Daily Telegraph.</p> <p>Over the span of four months, he said he and the person he believed to be Monk spoke regularly.</p> <p>Rapley showed the outlet the multiple messages he claimed he thought were from the star.</p> <p>One of the messages to him read, “I love you”.</p> <p>However, there were telling signs that it was likely a scam as the “relationship” never moved from messaging to phone calls.</p> <p>“I did think that was weird. I was like ‘If you are who you say you are, you could walk into a shop and get a new phone for free’”.</p> <p>However, the account explained that their phone was broken and they were too busy to buy a new one.</p> <p>Rapley then said he fell for a scam in which the person he thought was Monk said she was “getting all this money” but asked him to send her cash in the meantime.</p> <p>When he questioned why he would be sending money to such a high-profile celeb, he was told it was just “bank account drama”.</p> <p>He then revealed that the person he was messaging provided him with Monk’s address and told him to meet her there on April 25 so they could finally meet face-to-face.</p> <p>Rapley said he was embarrassed.</p> <p>“Look, I know it sounds stupid … I look like a right fool but the truth is I’m just lonely, and I believed her.”</p> <p><em>Image credit: Getty</em></p>

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Michael Slater hospitalised

<p dir="ltr">Australian cricketer Michael Slater has been hospitalised as domestic violence charges against him were dismissed on mental health grounds.</p> <p dir="ltr">Police prosecutor Sergeant Lachlan Kirby told Waverley Local Court - where Mr Slater was due to appear to appeal the charges - that the cricketer had been detained by police and paramedics on Tuesday night and taken to a mental health facility on the Northern Beaches.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 52-year-old had appealed for the charges to be dealt with under the Mental Health Act prior to his hospitalisation.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Slater’s barrister, Richard Pontello, appeared at the hearing via video link and consented to Magistrate Ross Hudson making his decision in Mr Slater’s absence, according to <em><a href="https://www.news.com.au/sport/cricket/michael-slater-taken-to-hospital-for-mental-health-reasons/news-story/9fa4583372622f38084df48f0d4d7214" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">The former Test cricketer was first charged <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/cricket-legend-michael-slater-arrested" target="_blank" rel="noopener">late last year</a> for allegedly using a mobile phone to harass his former partner between March and October, as well as stalking and intimidating her in Randwick on October 12 and 13.</p> <p dir="ltr">He was arrested for a second time in December and charged with contravening an Apprehended Violence Order (AVO), as well as another charge of using a carriage service to menace, harass or intimidate his former partner.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Slater sent 66 messages and called his ex 18 times in a period of two-and-a-half hours on the night of December 14, the court heard.</p> <p dir="ltr">The court also heard that although his former partner blocked his number, Mr Slater sent multiple messages to her via WhatsApp that were signed under the name “MJS”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Last week, Mr Pontello told the court Mr Slater was suffering from several mental illnesses, including major depressive disorder and ADHD at the time of the offences, but was in remission.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Pontello previously told the court Mr Slater spent 108 days in a rehabilitation facility between January and March this year, and argued that it was in the public interest for Mr Slater to be dealt with under the Mental Health Act so his treatment could continue.</p> <p dir="ltr">The police prosecution opposed the application due to the seriousness of the charges and the fact that he was out on bail for the second round of charges.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Hudson noted that Mr Slater was seeking treatment for his mental health before ruling that the charges be dealt with under the Mental Health Act.</p> <p dir="ltr">“He has a significant illness and has done significant work since that period of time, and he should be proud of that,” Mr Hudson said.</p> <p dir="ltr">He ordered Mr Slater abide by a treatment plan for 12 months.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Slater will also be the subject of an AVO from his former partner for five years.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-2c551a59-7fff-5ef5-61fd-5dfdbeffa360"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

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Police apply for AVO against Andrew O’Keefe

<p dir="ltr">Police will apply for an Apprehended Violence Order against former TV host Andrew O’Keefe, which would prevent him from approaching, assaulting, threatening, stalking, harassing, or intimidating the woman he has been<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://oversixty.com.au/news/news/andrew-o-keefe-arrested-over-an-assault-in-sydney-cbd" target="_blank">charged with assaulting</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">O’Keefe was arrested on Thursday after the alleged assault took place at a Sydney CBD apartment on Tuesday afternoon. Police will allege O’Keefe had invited the woman over to have a business discussion, only for the meeting to turn violent. A police spokesman said, '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.’</p> <p dir="ltr">He then allegedly assaulted the woman a second time by punching and kicking her. On Thursday, police confirmed they had charged O’Keefe with two counts of intentionally choking a person without consent, three counts of common assault, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. He has been refused bail and will appear at Downing Centre Local Court on Friday, while his AVO hearing will take place on February 2. He is being held at Day Street police station in Sydney.</p> <p dir="ltr">O’Keefe’s arrest on Thursday was filmed, and he was shown kicking and screaming in the back of a police van, shouting that he was the “victim of crime”. As he kicks at the doors of the paddy wagon, he can be heard shouting, “F*** you, I'm a victim of crime. I'm a victim of crime you f***wits. F*** off. Get rid of these journalists you stupid c***s. F*** you.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Meanwhile, a publicist who has worked with O’Keefe took to Instagram to criticise those ‘salivating’ over O’Keefe’s fall from grace. She wrote, “Plenty of people salivating today over the 'fall from grace' of a TV star. Violence can never be condoned. But I know and adore the real him.</p> <p dir="ltr">“One of my favourite ever work colleagues. This isn't who he actually is and really hope he gets through it.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The post was reportedly liked by several other TV personalities, including Daniel Macpherson, Natalie Bassingthwaite and Jessica Rowe.</p> <p dir="ltr">When asked by the<span> </span><em>Daily Mail<span> </span></em>in 2021 if his television career was over, O’Keefe responded, “I’m not sure if I’m over, or if TV’s over.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The former White Ribbon ambassador and father of three was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for his service to television in 2017.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images for GQ Australia</em></p>

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Police seek AVO on William Tyrrell’s foster parents

<p><em>Image: NSW Police / Facebook</em></p> <p>As investigators begin a new search on the NSW Mid North Coast sparked by fresh information, NSW Police have mysteriously sought an apprehended violence order against the foster parents of William Tyrrell.</p> <p>The AVO has been lodged on behalf of the parents of a child linked to the missing three-year-old.</p> <p>That couple, who cannot be named for legal reasons, are scheduled to appear in court next week for the AVO.</p> <p>Police have so far not commented on the AVO matter, or how it came to their attention.</p> <p>In what has become one of Australia’s most baffling cases, William Tyrrell vanished from his foster grandmother’s Mid North Coast front yard in 2014.</p> <p>Despite a $1 million reward, more than 600 persons of interest and hundreds of police searching the town of Kendall, he has never been found and nobody has been charged over his disappearance and suspected murder.</p> <p>The renewed search, sparked by credible new claims about a person of interest, will focus on a dense patch of bushland about a kilometre from where he was last seen.</p> <p>“We are looking for the remains of William Tyrrell,” Detective Chief Superintendent Darren Bennett said on Monday, adding the strike force would focus on three areas in Kendall.</p> <p>The search will cover an area on remote Benaroon Drive, and police expect to be in the town for several weeks.</p>

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Quick and easy: 4 ingredient breakfast burrito

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Avocados </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">are a stone fruit with a creamy texture that grow in warm climates. Whether you are spreading it on sourdough, whipping up a delicious dip for chips, or just enjoying one straight from its shell, eating an avocado any time of day is a great idea. </span></p> <p><strong>Serves</strong>:<span style="font-weight: 400;"> 4</span></p> <p><strong>Ingredients</strong></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">4 x 16cm corn tortillas </span></li> <li><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">4 regular eggs </span></li> <li><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">8 tablespoons chunky tomato salsa </span></li> <li><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">1 large avocado (220g)</span></li> </ul> <p><strong>Method</strong></p> <ol> <li><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Heat a non-stick frying pan and lightly toast each tortilla until just golden. </span></li> <li><span style="font-weight: 400;">Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm. </span></li> <li><span style="font-weight: 400;">Add a little water to the same pan and crack the eggs into it.</span></li> <li><span style="font-weight: 400;">Cook the eggs until the whites are set. </span></li> <li><span style="font-weight: 400;">Spread each tortilla evenly with salsa, top with an egg and slices of creamy avocado. </span></li> </ol> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>Optional: Serve immediately sprinkled with fresh coriander or basil leaves.</em> </span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Recipe by 4Ingredients for Australian Avocados.</span></em></p>

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Steve Jacobs hit by AVO from wife Rose

<p>Just days after <strong><a href="/lifestyle/relationships/2018/03/steve-jacobs-sad-announcement/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">it was reported</span></a></strong> that former Channel Nine presenter Steve Jacobs and his wife had separated, more details are emerging about their shock split.</p> <p>According to the <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-5521439/Steve-Jacobs-wife-Rosie-took-AVO-against-break-up.html" target="_blank"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Daily Mail</span></em></strong></a>, Port Vila Magistrates Court documents reveal Steve’s estranged wife Rose applied for a “restraining ex parte temporary domestic protection order” against her husband of eight years.</p> <p>“The court received the application from the complainant and the application was assisted by the police,” a courthouse employee explained. “Police assisted Ms Jacobs in filing an application for a family protection order.”</p> <p>The court was unable to reveal any further details about what prompted the AVO.</p> <p>The Daily Mail reports that, under the conditions of the order, Steve must stay up to 100 metres away from Rose at all times, however he was still allowed access to the couple’s two young daughters.</p> <p>“I think there were a few people who sensed something was up when they moved to Vanuatu,” a friend of the pair said. “The sea change was basically a last-ditch attempt to make things work, but it wasn’t to be unfortunately.”</p> <p>The new details come amid reports Rose, 39, has already moved on with another man, Canadian soldier Dylan Nash, who she met through friends in Vanuatu.</p> <p>“They’ve been dating for a few months now and he has been rock solid support for her ever since the split,” a source close to the couple revealed.</p> <p>“He’s an exceptional human being and they’re understandably taking things slow, but Rosie is over the moon.”</p> <p>Steve and Rose have also listed their $4.4 million Coogee beach house for sale. <a href="/finance/money-banking/2018/03/inside-steve-jacobs-4-million-dollar-coogee-home/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Click here</span></strong></a> to see inside their stunning property.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Steve Jacobs/Instagram.</em></p>

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