Phil Rudd, the drummer of Australian rock band AC/DC, has appeared in court in Tauranga, New Zealand to answer charges related to his arrest last year.

Rudd admitted that he had offered a large sum of money, a house and several vehicles to an associate if they would have a former employee of his "taken out".

He also admitted that he had told the victim directly that he was going to kill him - as well as his 10-year-old daughter as well as possessing marijuana and methamphetamine. The 'threat to kill' charge alone could lead to a seven-year jail term, although his defence lawyer has said that the charge relates solely to an angry phone call in September of last year.

The 60-year-old Rudd - who first joined AC/DC in 1975 - was released on bail ahead of his sentencing in June.

He will not be participating in the band's current 'Rock or Bust' tour, which hits Dublin's Aviva Stadium on July 1st. It's still unclear if he will rejoin the band at any point.