The New Zealand Herald is reporting that AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd’s conviction for cannabis possession has been dropped. Rudd was arrested last October when police found 25 grams of cannabis on his boat. Though he was sentenced by the Tauranga District Court last December, Rudd and his lawyer appealed to have the conviction dropped out of fear that the offense may obstruct his ability to travel and tour with his band. While the request was denied at the time, it would appear that a second time is a charm.
After hearing testimonies and cross examination, Judge Alayne Willis noted that this offense would indeed prevent Rudd from entry into at least three countries that the band would normally perform in, and that the offense caused by the drummer was on the “lower end of scale.” And with that, Judge Willis dropped Rudd’s conviction and ordered him to pay $1,500 to cover the prosecution’s legal costs. This ruling also means that all aging rock stars need not to worry when they want to have a toke on their private boat…or at least in New Zealand.
