'Fair go' plea from AC/DC drummer

Posted on 03-12-2010 23:15 | By Capt_Kaveman

Cops go catch real crimes that cost people loss and pain

Posted on 03-12-2010 14:55 | By Chudleigh

Phil Rudds lawyer was quite correct in saying that the punishment would far out weigh the crime. What is of concern is that the prosecuting sergeant made the statement to the magistrate that "as far as he knew a convition would not hinder Mr Rudds ability to enter other countries". As I understand it a drug conviction bars you from entering many countries, note the recent case of Paris Hilton not being allowed into Japan because of a drug conviction, in fact top level diplomatic intervention was needed to gain entry visas for the Beatles years ago. as I understand it you must declare drug convictions on entry to Australia and apply for a visa which may not necessarily be granted, its the same for the USA, Canada and if my memory is correct the same applies to guess where? Yes New Zealand.If I’m correct the Police must have known that, and one would be forgiven for thinking that the Police may been trying to influence the magistrate’s decision. Naughty! And that Magistrate. WOW. I thought the days of hanging Judges was over. I thought it finished back in the days of transportation to the colonies for nicking an apple!

Posted on 03-12-2010 05:18 | By pammy333

Phil this is such a stupid conviction I really cant believe it Have known u from your very young days practicing in the hall in macleod Wow how many years ago is that ..hope all goes well 4 u hun

Posted on 02-12-2010 22:34 | By jasgeo

You really have to struggle to discern the thinking behind this bust. It is highly unlikely Rudd turned up on any reports from police human or communications intelligence. Which means the most likely source of information for a complaint and the eventual search warrant was some disgruntled member of the Tauranga Community. Anyone working in a regulatory or enforcement position in a regional centre such as Tauranga/The Mount would be fairly used to dealing with those twisted members of the community who, unable to feel their lives are under their control, seek to feel powerful by causing problems for others that they frequently barely know, except 3rd hand. Smaller population centers always seem to get more of these types, partially because in such communities it is possible to know most other people’s business, and most importantly, if a borderline personality disorder such as this give-up, does give someone up they willl almost certainly hear the consequences of their actions. Too small a community and the risk of discovery is too great & too large the chances of knowing enough to interfere is too small. But the Tauranga police should know this and should be well versed in ways of discerning if there is any public good in pursuing a complaint. In a situation like this where there is clearly no public interest in harrassing Mr Rudd, the police should also have developed methods for diverting the drongo doing the complaining, so that said drongo thinks twice before he/she attempts to waste everyone’s time in the future. In most police shops, that is considered an integral part of ’the job’. It seems to me people need to alert senior police about this waste of resources, particularly any people in the Tauranga region who have been recent victims of crime. I’m still recovering from two weeks of seeing 3 or 4 police cars with their occupants slouching on the bonnet 24/7 outside the Pike River Mine for the weeks after the initial explosion. This is irrelevant to the other issue of who should have led the rescue operation. Why were all those other police resources hanging around the mine entrance for so long? surely it is the mine’s job to hire security guards same as everyone else has to. Keep thinking if police stuck to their core business of catching the crooks robbing the rest us blind, there would be a lot less kiwis about who have had everything from their big screen TVs to their retirement savings ripped off them by sharpies.

Posted on 02-12-2010 20:08 | By bob

upandcomingjourno

Posted on 02-12-2010 19:42 | By upandcomingjourno

What about that musician who had his name suppressed for SEXAUL ASSAULT in Wellington. He was behaving worse, effecting a number of people, and has no standing charges. I bet the cops were laughing and joking over this one. Hmmm thats one way to get his autograph. But very very silly. Cannabis is not that bad, possibly to young ones who it sidetracks from acheiving, but in this situation? Geeessh come on

Posted on 02-12-2010 17:09 | By Sinik

Why then can a couple of overstayers who committed at least one offence, deprived people of jobs, used taxpayer money for the last 8 years, at present one has been in jail at taxpayers expense and the family on a benefit at tax payers expense get a get of jail free card, work visa’s for 12 months until the press forget the case and then will no doubt be given residency. In the mean time some one who has paid more tax than all of us put together, created employment and committed one minor offence be persecuted by police. There is no justice and there is no common sense in this country. Story is here http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/4412908/Family-win-years-reprieve-from-slum

Posted on 02-12-2010 14:11 | By SpeakUp

...to create and enforce laws to subjugate people who do no harm whatsoever to society. It is a self-serving system (of the triumvirate legislative, judiciary and executive) making a fortune of this subjugation. I applaud Lindsay Perigo and suggest you visit his site http://www.solopassion.com/ .

Posted on 02-12-2010 14:01 | By

But some of these comments are sooo left wing it’s laughable. I’m with most in thinking that this was a bit of a misuse of resources but the fact remains he broke the law and is now facing the consequeces. If he’d got off with a slap there’d be hundreds more people crying foul.

Whether or not the law is valid is a different argument altogether. You cant bash the cops and the courts for doing the exact job they were hired to do, and you wont change criminal law by commenting here.

Theres a chance the conviction will hinder his ability to carry out business as usual, so when his case is reheard, I would recommend something more along the lines of a significant donation to Get Smart Tga in place of the conviction.

Those who would suggest the cops and justice dept are acting out of jealousy is ridiculous and only helps people to maintain an ’us and them’ relationship with any authority they dont feel presently aligned with.

Posted on 02-12-2010 13:52 | By Persephone

But a crime? It’s only a crime because we elected people who lack the ability to think through a situation and see the big picture said so. I am no fan of drugs, but do believe that they are less of a problem than all the problems that surround their prohibition. As for the magistrates and judges, few, if any, of them would know justice if it was a big woolly dog that bit them.

Posted on 02-12-2010 13:27 | By Mellow

Although it may not be the crime of the century, it IS a crime. My son has the same conviction and the same restrictions on travel.Why should some members of our community be exempt? Ian... what planet are you on?

Posted on 02-12-2010 13:22 | By wreck1080

This is a ridiculous conviction.Surely the police should be catching the real criminals, such as the young thugs down at the local skate park.Give Phil a break, he has contributed so much.

Posted on 02-12-2010 13:18 | By

The law is an ass - and those who perpetuate such stupid laws should be ashamed of themselves. It is well overdue that these stupid laws, imposed by and carried out by stupid people were changed. Look at the damage that this petty conviction could do to a very successful mans career - all for WHAT? This is total hypocrisy at work, and we as a nation condone it. In the real world Thousands upon thousands of otherwise law abiding kiwis smoke dope every day REGARDLESS of the fact it is illegal. Prohibition does not and will NEVER work. Yet individuals can legally go out and purchase alcohol - the most harmful drug on the planet and its legal! There is No difference Time NZ was given a bloody good shake. Morons the lot of them. Pathetic

Posted on 02-12-2010 13:11 | By Sinik

How much was the cost for the Police time, court time and lawyers time for an offence with with a penalty that equates to a fine for not registering your car and driving it on a public road. This whole episode seems totally out of perspective. If they want to stop oraganised crime feeding off the sale of weed, let people grow a couple of plants for personal use - the council could even charge for a licence to grow, some would consider council an organised (or disorganised depending on your view) crime organisation as well.

Posted on 02-12-2010 13:10 | By bryceh

Could not have put it better Ian! Jealousy is such a pathetic emotion. Now that Phil has stated he will not be moving from the area, that his lawyer takes the matter to appeal and wastes more of the courts time and our money!

Posted on 02-12-2010 13:06 | By

SOLO-NZ Press Release: Tauranga Police—What Heroes!! December 1, 2010 The conviction of AC/DC drummer and Tauranga resident Phil Rudd on charges of cannabis possession this morning is testament both to the evil of the cannabis laws and the crass, lumpen stupidity of the Tauranga police, says SOLO Principal Lindsay Perigo. Perigo, a non-user who detests all forms of headbanging caterwauling, drugged-out or otherwise, but nonetheless would defend to the death the right of its perpetrators to shriek and spew it and their fans’ right to subject themselves to it, says New Zealand’s international status as a pathetic little authoritarian backwater will be underscored anew by the risible antics of the uniformed goons who went to all the bother of executing a search warrant on Rudd’s launch and then arrested him when they found about an ounce of pot on it. "Such a difficult target! Such alacrity in accomplishing so audacious a mission! What heroes!" Perigo exclaims.

***edited***

"The law is an ass—and the Tauranga authorities in this instance are pigs," says Perigo. "A National Government that was true to the principles of individual liberty set out in National’s constitution would remove this and all other instances of Prohibitionism from the statute books forthwith, so that preposterous thugs could no longer persecute rock stars or anyone else for the victimless ’crime’ of possessing certain substances of their choice. Unfortunately, we know from bitter experience that National’s relationship with its principles has long been non-existent, across the board. "In a world infested by narco-nazi nanny-statists, it is not fascist search warrants that should be being executed," Perigo concludes.

Posted on 02-12-2010 12:37 | By Ian

This smacks of people with a bit of power cutting down others who have been more successful than them. It obviously makes them feel big when they hound someone and manage to get something on them. In spite of their jealousy they will never be more than nasty, small minded public servants.

Posted on 02-12-2010 12:35 | By DaKiwiBean

Can only believe that Community magistrate Robyn Paterson is acting on instructions from on high. Come on Robyn you are better than that, What a waste of money and resource in administering a $250 fine. We have be come a country of do gooders. If this was a ‘major’ drug bust then yes hit hard, but 27grams. Hardly a fart….. Take it higher Phil, apply for a review. There are more serious issues out there. Yes, Drug are bad, but all this crap.

Posted on 02-12-2010 11:56 | By SpeakUp

While the ’justice’ system dishes out a parental three months home detention for severely injuring a baby (http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/4409795/Non-jail-shaken-baby-sentence-angers-child-advocates), it harasses a good-standing, benevolent and kind community member. At best this farce can be described as ’tyranny of good intentions’.