AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd sentenced to home detention for threatening to kill

Ex- AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd has been sentenced to eight months home detention after admitting threatening to kill and drugs charges.

Rudd, 61, dodged serious prison time – he faced up to seven years – but Tauranga District Court Judge Thomas Ingram said Rudd had a limited criminal history and posed a low risk of reoffending, Radio New Zealand reported.

He acknowledged offering around £87,000, a motorbike and a house to an associate after asking for the victim to “to be taken out”.

An earlier police charge against Rudd of attempting to procure murder was dropped in November after prosecutors decided there wasn’t enough evidence.

Previous year in August, Rudd was mad over the launch of his solo album, “Head Job” which did not perform well on the music charts, following which he sacked a number of employees – including his would-be victim with whom he was “particularly angry” with.

After being sentenced, he swore at a reporter outside the court and told him to “get a f***ing job”.

On September 26, Rudd called the victim and threatened to kill him. When asked to clarify, Rudd said he wanted the victim “taken care of”.

Judge Ingram told Rudd there “was nowhere to hide” and he would be jailed if he was found with any traces of drugs or alcohol in his system.

And when police questioned the AC/DC rocker about the incident, they found a stash of marijuana and methamphetamine.

Dressed in a purple velour dinner jacket and jeans, he said little to waiting media as he entered the courthouse beyond thanking fans for their “fantastic” support.

Rudd’s lawyer Craig Tuck argued for the discharge, claiming a conviction would leave him unable to travel to Japan, Canada and the United States with the band – resulting in the loss of tens of millions of dollars.

Rudd is not now part of AC/DC and what’s more, he has not been invited to join them on their tour of New Zealand and Australia later in 2015.

In November 2014, AC/DC released their 15th album “Rock or Bust“.