AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd in court again over alleged fracas with bodyguard
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Version 0 of 1. AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd has appeared in court again, this time after a fracas in which he allegedly turned on his own bodyguard. Leo Rojas, the owner of Columbus Coffee in Tauranga, New Zealand, said he witnessed the street altercation between Rudd and another unidentified man at about 10.20am on Thursday. “I saw him following a taller, bigger guy and trying to punch the guy,” he told reporters. Rojas said the other man was trying to get away from Rudd, telling him “look, I don’t want to break your face”. He said the taller man eventually got sick of Rudd trying to attack him and pushed him away. “He literally fell away like a fly,” said the cafe owner. A third man, believed to be the AC/DC drummer’s bodyguard, tried to separate Rudd and the taller man by holding Rudd back. “That’s when Phil started punching and kicking his own bodyguard, which I found funny,” said Rojas. While this was happening, the taller man got into his car and left. The cafe owner said soon afterwards police arrived at the scene and began speaking to witnesses. Rojas said he did not see police arrest Rudd, but local news outlet Sun Live have published a photo sent to them which shows Rudd being handcuffed next to his black sports car. Police have declined to comment on Thursday’s events, with a spokeswoman saying they do not comment on cases before the court. Rudd later came into the cafe to collect personal items he had dropped during the fight, including his wallet, mobile phone and groceries. “He came back to pick those up and he started yelling to the customers ‘never get involved with the mafia’,” said Rojas. “My customers were all very nervous, especially the old ladies and a few kids as well.” In November, Rudd was charged with attempting to procure a murder. That charge was dropped a day later, but the drummer has entered not guilty pleas on charges of threatening to kill, possessing cannabis and possessing methamphetamine. Media have reported the 60-year-old appeared before Tauranga district court later on Thursday, where a judge varied his bail conditions to include an order to stop taking illicit drugs. |