Rod Stewart and His Son to Stand Trial Amid Assault Case

Rock legend Rod Stewart and his son Sean Stewart will stand trial on charges of allegedly barring a security guard during a New Year’s Eve party in December 2019. On Friday, a plea deal between the “Maggie May” singer and Florida prosecutors fell apart, so the judge in the case scheduled the trial to begin on Jan. 25, 2022, reports the Associated Press. Stewart, 76, and Sean, 41, are facing misdemeanor battery charges.

Judge August Bonavita announced the hearing to finalize the plea deal was canceled, and the trial was scheduled instead. Stewart and his son did not attend Friday’s hearing. This was the second time a plea deal with prosecutors was canceled in the case, which has faced delays because of the coronavirus pandemic. The father and son could be sentenced to up to a year in jail if convicted. Prosecutors did not comment, and Stewart’s defense attorney Guy Frostin did not respond to the AP’s calls.

The alleged incident at the center of the case happened on Dec. 31, 2019, at the Breakers Hotel, a luxury hotel in Palm Beach, Florida. The Stewarts got into an argument with security guard Jessie Dixon during a private event at the hotel, police said. They tried to enter a private event in a children’s area but were told to leave. The Stewarts allegedly refused to do so, and Dixon tried to force them to leave. Sean allegedly got in Dixons’ face, according to the police report. Dixon put his hand on Sean’s chest and asked him to leave, the security guard told police. There is security footage allegedly showing Sean pushing Dixon before Stewart punched Dixon in the ribs.

Stewart is a two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, first as a solo artist in 1994 and then as a member of Faces in 2012. Some of his best-known solo hits include “Maggie May,” “You Wear it Well,” “Sailing,” Tonight’s The Night (Gonna be Alright),” “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?,” and “Forever Young.” His upcoming 32nd album, The Tears of Hercules, will be released on Nov. 12. Stewart was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2006.

Sean appeared in the 2007 A&E reality show Sons of Hollywood. He is Stewart’s second child with his first wife, Alana Stewart. Stewart and Alana are also parents to Kimberly Alana Stewart. The singer has six other children with four different women. He is now married to Penny Lancaster-Stewart, with whom he shares two children.