Charge dropped against Taupō man for threatening to kill Prime Minister

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. Photo / File

A charge of threatening to kill Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern against a Taupō man has been dropped.

The man, who has final name suppression, appeared in the Taupō District Court today via audio-visual link.

The man appeared for the first time in the Rotorua District Court on Friday and pleaded not guilty. He was granted interim name suppression.

The charge relates to an alleged offence on September 10 in Taupō.

The charge carries a maximum penalty of seven years' jail.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern had earlier said she was not aware of the threat.

"But I know that when you're in this job, you do receive threats. I won't see all of them. And I won't know about all of them. But it unfortunately comes with the job," Ardern said last week.