- Titus Day was present in court on Monday
- Spent more than $1 million fighting claims he defrauded a celebrity client
The former manager of Australian Idol winner Guy Sebastian has spent more than $1 million fighting to overturn his conviction for defrauding his celebrity client, a court has been told.
Titus Emanuel Day received a prison sentence of at least two and a half years in November 2022 after a jury found him guilty of 34 fraud-related charges, including embezzling more than $620,000.
He successfully overturned his convictions on appeal last year and will face a new trial in May 2025.
The stars’ manager continues to deny the allegations against him.
Mr Day’s lawyers have applied to delay his retrial until the Director of Public Prosecutions has compensated him for the legal costs incurred during the initial trial and the appeal.
His lawyer Thomas Woods told the NSW District Court on Monday that the plaintiff had previously agreed to negotiate after admitting he would have to pay some of Mr Day’s costs.
“Those negotiations have not proven fruitful,” he said.
He managed the inaugural Australian Idol winner Guy Sebastian (pictured with his wife Jules) for eight years until 2015
The court was told the complainant made an offer to Mr Day on Monday morning but the offer was not accepted.
Mr Woods said the initial trial and appeal cost his client more than $1 million, but he only asked for $1,093,240.44.
Crown prosecutor Katrina Mackenzie told the court the prosecutor had offered to pay Day just under $300,000 in damages.
She argued that “the quantum sought is constantly changing” during the negotiation process.
Ms Mackenzie asked for more time to consider the new costs bill brought forward by Mr Day’s legal team for “a large amount of money that will ultimately be paid from the public purse.”
The latest total presented to the prosecutor included “charges for the defendant’s civil matters” and other unrelated costs, Ms Mackenzie claimed.
The court was told that Mr Day had changed representation during his lengthy legal battle, complicating the financial analysis.
Titus Day was in court Monday with his attorney Thomas Woods and attorney Lauren MacDougall
Mr Woods insisted it was “very important” that the dispute over costs is resolved before elements of Mr Day’s next legal battle emerge.
“From my client’s perspective, unless sufficient costs are paid, he is not in a position to defend himself at trial next year,” he said.
The parties will return to court later this week to discuss whether Judge Mark Williams should order a temporary adjournment of Mr Day’s retrial until costs are paid.
The allegations stem from the long-standing professional relationship between Mr. Day and Mr. Sebastian.
Mr Day became Mr Sebastian’s manager in 2009 – six years after the musician shot to fame by winning the first season of Australian Idol.
Titus Day and Guy Sebastian were good friends when they worked together
The pair became close friends, but that ended eight years later when they had a bitter falling out.
Mr Sebastian claimed he found discrepancies in his financial records, which he blamed on his then manager.
He initiated legal proceedings against Mr Day to recover the money he claimed he was owed.
Mr Day hit back with a counterclaim claiming he was the one who owed the award-winning musician money.
Both men continue to deny the allegations against them.