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Home / New Zealand

Phil Rudd's son: 'Dad's a good guy'

Daily Mail
9 Nov, 2014 09:32 PM3 mins to read

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The family of AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd have broken their silence for the first time since his controversial arrest in Tauranga last week.

His son, Thomas Rudd, defended his father last night - four days after the legendary rocker appeared in court on charges, which also included possession of amphetamines and cannabis.

'All I will say is that my dad is a good guy. He's not perfect but wouldn't harm anyone,' he told Daily Mail Australia from Europe.

On Thursday, Rudd appeared in court with no shoes on, just hours after police searched his house in Tauranga.

Rudd was charged with procuring a man to murder two other men between September 25 and 26 and with threatening to kill on September 26. He was also charged with possession of amphetamines and cannabis.

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The procure to murder charges were withdrawn the next day.

Crown Solicitor Greg Hollister-Jones ruled there was insufficient evidence to justify those charges. He still faces the threat to kill charge.

Since then details have emerged of the reclusive musician's lavish lifestyle, which include claims of group sex from prostitutes and luxury cars, but photos on his daughter's social media page paint a very different picture of Rudd as a family man.

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Images posted on Facebook show Rudd to be a loving father who is close to and enjoys the company of his children.

In one photo from 2012, Phil Rudd is seen surrounded by five of his offspring at a birthday party as well as his wife, Lisa O'Brien.

'Beautiful family, your wife and kids are the sweetest people, glad to know you all,' one friend commented on the post.

A more recent photograph from March shows Phil Rudd with a pair of sunglasses on smiling into the camera with his three daughters.

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While others, ranging from 2012 to earlier this year, show him posing with his arms around his children.

The happy snaps go hand-in-hand with the accounts of those who live next door to his waterfront home.

Neighbour Prue Calwell said she had been over to Rudd's place a couple of times for a cup of coffee.

'He's a good neighbour... he's a pretty nice guy,' she told Daily Mail Australia as security guards remained outside Rudd's home on Sunday.

'He's very chatty and friendly.

'But he's pretty private. We don't see or hear anything [from his house].'

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Ms Calwell said she and her family only had a noise problem once when her son was woken up by drumming coming from the band member's house.

On Sunday, all remained quiet at the musician's home with promotional posters of his upcoming album plastered on his windows to stop prying eyes and cameras seeing inside.

He was granted bail under the condition he would remain at his Harbour Drive home in Tauranga until his next appearance on November 27 at the local district court.

- Daily Mail Australia

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