Troubled TV star Andrew O'Keefe was prone to spitting during arguments when the judge dismissed his claims of domestic violence

Andrew O'Keefe failed to convince a court that a woman was lying when he claimed she was assaulted by him. The judge found that the former game show host had a habit of spitting at her during arguments.

District Judge John Pickering upheld O'Keefe's domestic violence conviction on Monday after rejecting his lawyers' arguments that the woman had inflicted scratches on her arm herself and later blamed O'Keefe.

However, the judge dropped other drug possession charges after determining that it could not be proven that items found in a locker in O'Keefe's apartment belonged to him.

The troubled former Seven Network presenter was found guilty in January of three counts of domestic violence, two counts of breaching an AVO imposed on him and two counts of possession of prohibited drugs.

He was sentenced to 18 months' probation, with supervision and reporting requirements, and was fined $800 for the drug offenses.

O'Keefe previously hosted Weekend Sunrise, the Today show and a number of game shows including The Chase until his contract with the Seven Network expired at the end of 2020 and he was replaced by Larry Emdur.

In an attack in September 2021, O'Keefe allegedly pushed the woman into a doorway, hit her over the shoulder with the heel of his hand and forced her to the ground. He then kicked her in the thigh and scratched her chest with his fingernails.

However, O'Keefe's lawyer Phillip Boulten SC said the woman's claim that she had scratched her hand on a door hinge after being pushed through the doorframe was not supported by any physical evidence.

The former morning show and game show host has pleaded guilty to a number of domestic violence and drug charges

Mr Boulten said if it was found that the woman was not telling the truth about the scratch marks on her arm, all her evidence should be disregarded.

Judge Pickering told the court he saw no reason for the woman to lie about the attack, noting that she had indicated at the time that she did not want to report it to the police.

“It was clear from her communication with the police that she did not actually want the police to get involved in the matter,” he said.

“I do not see what advantage the complainant has gained from this.

“I am satisfied that the complainant made truthful statements in this incident.”

As the verdict was read in court, O'Keefe shook his head in frustration and handed written notes to his lawyer.

O'Keefe admitted that the argument occurred, but insisted that because the two were so close together, he accidentally bumped into the woman and did not push her.

The woman claimed that after her fall, O'Keefe told her, “Good acting, I barely touched you.”

Judge Pickering found that when sentencing O'Keefe for the first time, the court was free to look at an earlier incident in January 2021 in which O'Keefe admitted spitting in the same woman's eye to determine who was telling the truth.

“The majority of men in our community do not behave this way,” he said.