Andrew O’Keefe facing new charges, “absolutely tragic” says judge.

Former TV presenter Andrew O’Keefe will remain behind bars until at least October 10 after he was charged with breaching bail and allegedly possessing prohibited drugs.

O’Keefe did not appear in Waverley Court in person on Tuesday morning, where a judge noted he was “lucky to be alive” after being treated by police and paramedics, and hospitalised after a suspected overdose at his Vaucluse unit early on Saturday morning.

Court documents show police allegedly later found crystal meth in his vehicle.

O’Keefe did not appear in person today, instead being represented by his lawyer Evan James, who did not apply for bail on his client’s behalf.

Magistrate Jacqueline Milledge, looking down at court documents, said the case was “just awful”.

“He’s lucky to be alive,” she said.

Milledge said being in jail is “the best thing he can do … if he wants to stay alive”.

O’Keefe’s lawyer said he may make a release application at court next month if there is a rehabilitation bed available – with Milledge responding that he’s “been there, done that”.

“It’s absolutely tragic – it’s very, very sad – but the last time he walked in through that door, and he’s a frequent flyer, he goes to the dock and he sits there and he’s so used to it,” she said.

“The mental health applications and rehabs, they’ve all been tried and tested and failed.”

Milledge said she did not see “how the same thing over and over again is going to work for him”.

“God help him,” she said. “It’s a shame he doesn’t have an epiphany.”

O’Keefe was convicted on a string of assault charges and possessing a prohibited drug in January this year, although his drug conviction was later quashed.

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Source: ABC, SMH