Rudd will defend charges

Phil Rudd on the balcony at his Harbour Drive home yesterday. Photo / Andrew Warner

AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd plans to defend a threat to kill charge and drug possession charges at trial.

Rudd, 60, whose appearance in Tauranga District Court yesterday was excused, has denied one charge of threatens to kill, possession of cannabis and possession of methamphetamine.

The threatens to kill offence is alleged to have been committed during a telephone call on September 26, the court was told.

Police allege they found the drugs when they raided Rudd's Harbour Drive, Otumoetai home on November 6.

Rudd's lawyer, Paul Mabey QC, told Judge Thomas Ingram that after Rudd's last court appearance on November 27 a plea by notice was filed at the Tauranga court which confirmed his client would defend the allegations.

Rudd was further remanded on existing bail terms to next appear at a case review hearing in Tauranga District Court on February 10.

No trial date has yet been set but the charges will be defended at a judge-alone trial.

Suppression orders in relation to the name and any identifying details of the threat to kill complainant and three other Crown witnesses remains in place. Crown solicitor Greg Hollister-Jones successfully argued for the suppression orders to be continued to protect the "fair trial rights" of one witness and on "undue hardship" grounds in relation to three other people whose identities are suppressed.

An application to view the court file was declined by Judge Ingram, but after reaching an agreement with the Crown and Mr Mabey, the media will provided with a summary of facts, which sets out more detail about the allegations against Rudd.

Rudd, who was spotted yesterday on the balcony of his home, has refused to talk to media about the charges on the advice of his lawyers.