AC/DC Drummer PHIL RUDD Pleads Not Guilty To Breaching Detention Rules

AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd pleaded not guilty on Monday (August 3) to breaching the circumstances of his home detention.

He is now facing an additional charge of possessing and consuming alcohol — a breach of the conditions of an eight-month home detention sentence handed down last month.

The 61-year-old was remanded on bail until November 24 when he will return for a two-hour judge-alone hearing on the possible breach.

The drummer previously appealed his sentence of eight months' home detention after pleading guilty to charges of attempting to "procure a murder" and drug possession. He faced up to seven years behind bars.

Rudd's son submitted an affidavit to the court which said in part that his father "has a heart of gold and wouldn't hurt a fly. It's just when the drugs take over, he behaves how he taught me not to." Rudd has reportedly been struggling with a meth addiction.

When his first solo effort, "Head Job", flopped, Rudd reportedly threatened a former employee. A month later, Rudd told an associate that he wanted him to "take out" his personal assistant, whom he then called and verbally threatened, allegedly saying: "I'm going to come over and kill you."

Rudd offered $200,000 and a choice of vehicles and house as payment to kill the assistant, according to reports. When police raided his home in Tauranga, New Zealand, they found methamphetamine and other drugs.

Prior the ruling, the court was told that Rudd's actions were the result of psychosis, brought on by drugs. While he initially denied the allegations, he submitted a guilty plea in April.

Rudd played with AC/DC for 30 years and performed on AC/DC's new album, "Rock Or Bust". Chris Slade, who played with AC/DC from 1990 to 1993, was announced in February as the group's drummer for its current world tour.