A Western Bay of Plenty man accused of threatening to kill former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told a judge he had “no blood on my hands”.
Richard Trevor Sivell, 41, from Te Ranga was rearrested in Taupō almost two years after a warrant was issued in Tauranga.
He will face trial on four charges after appearances in the Tauranga District Court, most recently on Wednesday.
Court documents show Sivell is accused of threatening to kill Ardern in Auckland between November 29, 2021, and January 19, 2022, when she was still Prime Minister. The charge carried a maximum penalty of seven years in prison.
Sivell also faced two charges relating to his prior arrest on March 29, 2022 – intentionally obstructing a police officer and failing to assist the officer during a search.