AC/DC drummer's chaotic Tauranga court appearance

Phil Rudd reversed his black GTR into the path of an oncoming truck after leaving court yesterday.

A High Court judge threatened to issue an arrest warrant after AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd was late for his court appearance.

Rudd, who appeared in the High Court at Tauranga yesterday, faced a charge of threatening to kill another man, plus possession of cannabis and possession of methamphetamine, after police raided his Harbour Drive home on November 6.

After the matter was called at 9am, Justice Timothy Brewer said he would issue an arrest warrant if Rudd did not appear by 9.30am. Rudd, wearing blue jeans, sneakers and a black T-shirt, arrived a few minutes later.

Rudd sat in the public gallery waiting for his case to be recalled, he talked to a court security officer and drummed a tune on his thighs.

Justice Brewer told Rudd he had spoken to the Crown and Rudd's lawyer Paul Mabey QC, and the charges would be transferred to the Tauranga District Court.

His next court appearance would be December 2.

At his last court appearance on November 6, Rudd also faced a charge of attempting to procure a man to kill two Tauranga residents - a charge which was withdrawn less than 24 hours later after the Crown reviewed the police file and found no evidence to support it.

Justice Brewer said the remaining matters were best dealt with in the District Court jurisdiction.

Rudd, who has been remanded on existing bail terms, is yet to enter pleas to the charges.

Police are refusing to comment on the remaining charges now the matter is before the court. Outside court, Rudd was surrounded by a large contingent of media, but he politely declined to answer questions after being instructed not to do so by his lawyer.

As media swarmed around him, Rudd struggled to reach his waiting black Nissan GTR parked nearby and his security staff assisted him, including one briefly piggybacking him to the car.

Rudd then hopped into the driver's seat and quickly reversed on to Cameron Rd, into the path of an oncoming truck.

The driver was forced to come to an abrupt stop to avoid a collision, and tooted his horn loudly before Rudd and his male passenger drove off.