PHIL RUDD arrested again - court appearance seto for tomorrow

19 July 2015

The Reuters news agency is reporting that (former) AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd has been arrested in New Zealand where he lives just 10 days after being sentenced to home detention.

Rudd, who on July 10 was sentenced to eight months home detention after pleading guilty to charges of threatening to kill and possession of drugs, is being held in custody in New Zealand, the Australian Associated Press reported, citing his lawyer, Craig Tuck.

The 61-year-old musician will appear in court in Tauranga district on Monday morning, the news agency said. Police declined to confirm the arrest or comment on the charge, the AAP said.

The arrest is the latest blow to the rock musician who was unable to join AC/DC for their 2015 Rock or Bust tour due to legal problems.

Rudd has reportedly lodged an appeal against his sentence of eight months under house arrest for drug possession and threatening to kill. Though Rudd pleaded guilty to the charges, he insisted throughout the trial that his actions were the result of a "methamphetamine-induced psychosis."

The drummer reportedly hoped to have all the charges dropped claiming that he could lose "tens of millions of dollars" touring with AC/DC during the course of his home detention.

According to the New Zealand Herald, significant new insights around the case emerged during the court proceedings. They included:

- Rudd has been meeting one-on-one with a specialist psychiatrist but authorities have remained concerned about his behaviour. It emerged ESR results showed Rudd had tested positive for cannabis in a test in December.

- The rocker put the threats he made to his former employee down to "methamphetamine-induced psychosis".

- Rudd has reconciled with his would-be victim and agreed to pay him a substantial sum of money in reparation - the Herald can not reveal the amount for legal reasons. Mr Tuck told the court a process that had "started badly" had "ended beautifully".

- Rudd's lawyer claimed that a conviction would result in losses in the tens of millions of dollars that would have came from being able to tour with AC/DC. The Crown cast doubt on this assertion, pointing out there was no direct evidence that Rudd was still a member of the band.

- Rudd's defence claimed while there was "uncertainty" about his place in AC/DC, it was "certainly not a closed door". The Crown however argued Rudd was not a member of AC/DC even before the time he was arrested in November.

- Rudd was concerned about people - half of many he claimed he didn't know - that were hanging around in his house, some of whom he described as "fleas". Their presence had led to phone the police on two occasions.

- Mr Tuck said Rudd had described the issues that stemmed from his drug use had resulted in "perfect storm" that "impacted heavily on those around me".

- Rudd's son, Steven Rudd, who was also in court today, described his father as having "a heart of gold" and it was "just when the drugs take over" that trouble began.

- An affidavit from Australian music industry heavyweight Michael Murchison, whose music touring credits include The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Madonna and The Sex Pistols, described how Rudd's behaviour had been "heart-wrenching" to see. "Phil needs help and many tears were shed by those close to him."

Source: bravewords.com

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