Prosecutors: AC/DC’s Rudd Threatened Man, Daughter

New Zealand prosecutors for the first time publicly outlined their case against AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd, saying Friday that he called a man who had worked for him for three years and threatened to kill him and his daughter.

The details were in a brief one-page “summary of facts” released by prosecutors.

Photo: New Zealand Herald, Alan Gibson/AP

The AC/DC drummer gestures as he leaves District Court in Tauranga, New Zealand.

They have charged the 60-year-old drummer with threatening to kill, which comes with a maximum prison sentence of seven years, as well as possessing methamphetamine and marijuana. He has pleaded not guilty and faces a judge-only trial next year.

Prosecutors said that on Sept. 26, Rudd first called a business associate and talked about “what he wanted done” to the man, before calling the man and making the threats. Prosecutors said the man worked for Rudd under a contract arrangement.

According to prosecutors, Rudd told police he didn’t make the alleged phone calls and had not threatened to kill anyone.

Prosecutors said police on Nov. 6 searched Rudd’s home in the small city of Tauranga and found 130 grams (4.6 ounces) of marijuana and 0.7 grams (0.02 ounces) of methamphetamine. They said Rudd did acknowledge possessing a small amount of marijuana.

Rudd’s lawyer Paul Mabey could not be immediately reached for comment Friday.

The release of the document came a day after Rudd was detained by police after getting into a scuffle with a witness in his case. Mabey said it was a “chance meeting” between the pair in Tauranga that developed into a scuffle.

Rudd was later released on bail without further charges, although a judge did impose an additional bail condition that he not consume illegal drugs.

Rudd’s future with the popular Australian band remains uncertain. The band this week released its new album, Rock or Bust.