Sean Stewart Says He and Dad Rod Will Be Exonerated in Criminal Battery Case

Sean Stewart is not worried about his arrest New Year's Eve -- along with the arrest of his dad, Rod Stewart -- because he says the guy they allegedly attacked was the instigator.

We got Sean Friday night leaving SHU restaurant in L.A. ... and he was not sweating the incident that will land them in a Florida court next month. As we reported, they were at the Breaker's Hotel in Palm Beach celebrating the new year with the fam, when a security guard named Jessie Dixon tried to block the Stewarts from entering the children's area of the hotel.

Dixon told cops the Stewarts got super loud and refused to back off. He said Sean then got nose-to-nose with him and shoved him backward. Dixon says Rod then threw a punch, striking him in the rib cage area.

Dixon said he wanted to press charges, so both Sean and Rod were charged with misdemeanor battery.