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Rod Stewart charged over alleged altercation at Florida hotel Rod Stewart charged over alleged altercation at Florida resort
(about 3 hours later)
Police document accuses singer of punching a security guard on New Year’s Eve Police document accuses singer of punching a hotel security guard on New Year’s Eve
Sir Rod Stewart has been charged by police after an alleged altercation involving his son Sean at a hotel in Florida. Sir Rod Stewart has been charged with battery after an alleged scuffle at the entrance to a private New Year’s Eve party for children at a hotel in Palm Beach, Florida.
A police document released in the US accused the rock star of punching a security guard on New Year’s Eve after he and his companions, including Sean, attempted to get in to a private party in a children’s area at the Breakers Palm Beach hotel. The altercation is also believed to have involved Stewart’s 39-year-old son, Sean, who is accused of pushing a security guard.
The hotel’s security guard, named as Jessie Dixon, told officers that he had seen a group of people near the check-in table of the private event trying to enter without authorisation. The incident began when young children in the family group were refused entry to the party. Stewart, 74, is alleged to have struck the guard’s chest “with a closed fist”, according to a police report.
The affidavit claimed that Stewart, 74, and his group “began to get loud and cause a scene, and refused to follow [Dixon’s] instructions to leave”. Stewart and his son have both been charged with “simple battery” and are due to appear at the Palm Beach county criminal justice complex early next month.
Dixon alleged that Sean Stewart, 39, had got “about nose to nose” with him when he told him to step back and create some space. According to the report, the singer has “apologised for his behaviour in the incident” and told police that he and his family had approached the check-in table at the Breakers hotel to try to gain entry for their children. According to Stewart’s affidavit, once the family were denied access, a security guard, Jesse Dixon, became argumentative, causing his family to become “agitated”.
The security guard claimed Sean Stewart shoved him backwards after he put the back of his right hand on his chest, and that his father then stepped towards him and punched him in the ribs. The police officer’s report also cites the witness statements of two other hotel employees, who have alleged that Stewart punched Dixon in the chest.
The arresting officer wrote in the police report that Rod Stewart stated that he and his family had wanted the children in their group gain access, and that Dixon then became argumentative with them. Dixon told police the Stewart family group “began to get loud and cause a scene, and refused to follow instructions to leave”. The guard said he asked Sean to step back when he came up “about nose to nose” with him.
According to the report, the singer “apologised for his behaviour in the incident”. Police say Dixon claimed that Sean then shoved him after he put his right hand on his chest, and that Stewart punched him in the ribs.
The affidavit also refers to accounts by two witnesses, both of whom are employed by the hotel, who said they saw Sean Stewart push Dixon and the singer punch him in the chest. Stewart and his son are described as “primary aggressors” in a document filed by an arresting officer, who claims to have looked at video camera footage.
The arresting officer describes Stewart and his son as “primary aggressors” in the document, and says he assessed footage taken from video cameras at the hotel.
Both men were arrested, and the singer was charged with simple battery. He has been issued a notice to appear at the Palm Beach county criminal justice complex on 5 February.
His representatives have been contacted for comment.