Former AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd has been sentenced to eight months in house detention for drug possession and making threats to kill.

The 61-year-old star, who was born in Australia, had initially denied the charges against him but changed his plea in April, admitting he threatened to kill a former employee.

And when police questioned the AC/DC rocker about the incident, they found a stash of marijuana and methamphetamine.

It's been confirmed Rudd will serve his eight-month sentence at his beachfront home in Tauranga, New Zealand, with Judge Thomas Ingram warning the musician that he would face jail if he breached the conditions.

Rudd - who thanked fans for their support when he arrived at the court - had actually faced a jail term of up to seven years for the threat charges.

Originally, Rudd was charged with attempting to procure a murder.

However, that charge was subsequently dropped, as was a further charge that he also threatened the daughter of the victim.

Rudd is not currently part of AC/DC and what's more, he has not been invited to join them on their tour of New Zealand and Australia later in 2015.