Ex- AC/DC Drummer Phil Rudd to Spend Eight Months in House Detention

Ex- AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd was sentenced to eight months of home detention in New Zealand on Thursday after he pleaded guilty to threatening to kill a ex- employee and to possessing drugs.

The BBC reports that Australian-born Rudd, 61, had originally denied the charges but changed his plea in April.

The Tauranga court heard he threatened to “take out” a ex- employee.

Ex- AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd arrives for sentencing at the Tauranga District Court in Tauranga, New Zealand.

Rudd was hoping to be discharged without a conviction for threatening to kill a ex- employee and possession of methamphetamine and cannabis. The judge was unmoved by the drummer’s argument that the convictions would hurt his chances of playing with AC/DC again.

The band is now using Welsh drummer Chris Slade for its Rock or Bust album tour, but has not said if that’s a long-term arrangement. Rudd was also charged with possession of methamphetamine and marijuana.

The Crown has said there is no clear evidence that if Rudd was convicted it would affect his involvement in the band, of which he is not now a member.

Rudd also called the victim of the threat, saying: “I’m going to come over and kill you”.

Judge Ingram has told him “it’s simply plain to me you have not done enough to outweigh offending”.

The drug charges were laid after police executed a search warrant at Rudd’s home on November 6.

Rudd’s own employment with AC/DC is in doubt, despite his stated intention to rejoin the legendary hard rockers.

“I stone cold guarantee that’s where you’ll end up”, Ingram said.

His real-life murder plot unfolded after his 2014 solo album “Head Job” faced a poor reception, later described by Rudd as a “total f– disaster”.

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.

Lawyer Craig Tuck says whole thing just an mad phone call and they’ll be looking into damages.