Sir Rod Stewart and son face criminal trial as plea deal on battery charge falls through
Sir Rod Stewart and his adult son are to stand trial on charges they attacked a security guard during a New Year’s Eve party nearly two years ago. The development comes after a plea deal between Sir Rod and Florida prosecutors has fallen through.
Neither Sir Rod nor his son, Sean, were present when Judge August Bonavita announced that a hearing in which a deal was expected to be finalized had been cancelled.
The pair are now scheduled to stand trial on battery charges on January 25.
It is at least the second time a deal has fallen through in the case, which has also been delayed by the coronavirus pandemic.
Possible jail time
The Stewarts face a maximum penalty of a year in jail, although such a lengthy term would be unlikely.
Neither prosecutors nor defence attorney Guy Fronstin immediately responded to calls and emails seeking comment.
The Stewarts got into a tussle at The Breakers Hotel with security guard Jessie Dixon on December 31, 2019, not long before midnight, police have said.
They said the Stewarts were part of a group that tried to enter a private event in a children’s area at the posh hotel, but were not allowed.
The group, which included children, created a scene and would not leave, police said.
Dixon intervened and Sean Stewart, 41, “got in his face”, according to the police report.
Dixon told officers he put the back of his right hand on the younger Stewart’s chest and asked him to back up. Security video showed Sean Stewart then shoving Dixon and Sir Rod, 76, punching him in the ribs.
Sir Rod is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. His greatest hits include Maggie May, Do Ya Think I’m Sexy? and Tonight’s The Night. He was knighted in 2016.