The 60-year-old musician changed his plea to guilty before his trial began in a New Zealand court on Tuesday, April 21.
- April 21, 2015
AceShowbiz -
AC/DC's drummer Phil Rudd has pleaded guilty to drug possession and threatening to kill an ex-employee. Phil, who previously pleaded no guilty to the charges back in December, changed his plea to guilty before his trial began at the Tauranga district court in New Zealand on Tuesday, April 21.
The 60-year-old musician admitted in court that he offered an associate NZ$200,000 or $153,000 as well as "a motorbike, one of his cars or a house" to have his ex-employee "taken out." Phil then called the ex-employee and threatened to kill him on the phone. "I'm going to come over and kill you," he said.
"As a result of threats made by the defendant, the victim was genuinely very fearful for his safety," the court summary read.
Phil, who also admitted that he possessed cannabis and methamphetamine, refused to speak besides pleading guilty. He faces up to seven years in jail for the threat charge, three-month sentence for cannabis possession and six-month sentence for methamphetamine possession.
His lawyer Craig Tuck told reporters outside the court that the charge "essentially revolved around an angry phone call - that was it." He said he would ask the judge for a discharge without conviction.
