A man who was initially charged with threatening to kill the Prime Minister has been placed under intensive supervision after the charge was downgraded in court.
Dean Miller was charged earlier this year with threatening to kill John Key with a firearm in Wellington in May.
However, that was downgraded to a charge of misuse of a telephone in the Auckland District Court this afternoon in what Judge Fraser said was recognition of it being an "empty threat".
Miller told the court the threatening phone call was made in the heat of the moment and he now thinks it was stupid.
Judge Fraser sentenced him to intensive supervision.
In 2012, Miller was sentenced to intensive supervision after threatening to kill staff at the electorate offices of the Labour Party MPs Phil Goff and David Shearer.
