‘Painful chapter finally over’: Guy Sebastian responds after former manager Titus Day learns fate

Guy Sebastian has spoken out about the verdict handed down on his former manager’s $900,000 embezzlement.

Guy Sebastian said he is “grateful” to finally close a “painful chapter” in his life after hearing the verdict of his former manager yesterday.

The singer released a statement on Instagram stating he found it difficult to put together the words of how he feels after Titus Day was found guilty of embezzlement.

“I’m finding it very difficult to put into words how I feel about all of this right now,” the statement read.

“Mostly I’m grateful that this painful chapter of my life is finally over.”

Sebastian continued: “It was not only shocking but also heartbreaking to discover the depth of betrayal and dishonesty that I uncovered over these last four years”.

Sydney, Australia, NewsWire, Thursday, 2 June 2022, Titus Day photographed walking out of the Downing Centre. Picture: Monique Harmer

Mr Day could go to prison after a jury delivered a verdict in a startling conclusion to the prolonged high-profile court case.

He was accused of embezzling nearly $900,000 allegedly owed to the singer in the form of music royalties, performance and ambassador payments.

In Sebastian’s statement, the famed singer called Mr Day one of his “closest mates” before describing his hurt.

“None of this needed to happen. I tried everything I could on so many occasions to get honest explanations for what was missing,” he wrote.

“These requests were met with the most outrageous and unfounded accusations, designed to tarnish my reputation, and dissuade me from pursuing justice.”

Guy Sebastian arrives at the Downing Centre Local Court on Monday. Picture: Nikki Short

The jury heard seven weeks of evidence from witnesses, including Mr Sebastian, his wife Jules, bookkeepers and the police officer in charge of the investigation before making their determination.

In an unanimous decision revealed on Thursday afternoon, the jury found Mr Day guilty of some of the charges, but not all.

The court was told Day was found guilty of 34 charges including the fraudulent embezzlement of more than $620,000 of Mr Sebastian’s earnings including royalties and performance fees.

However, he was found not guilty of 13 charges.

Titus Day, the former manager to Australian entertainer Guy Sebastian arrives at Downing Centre Court. Picture: Seb Haggett

After the jury made their verdicts, the Crown told the court they were making a detention application for Day immediately.

“He was committed by a person in a position of trust over four years and it involved more than half a million dollars,” Crown Prosecutor David Morters SC told the court.

“It involves a breach of trust.”

Mr Morsters told the court Mr Sebastian put “his trust in his manager” and relied on Mr Day to account for the money he was receiving.

“He has systematically taken that money for his own benefit,” Mr Morters said.

Judge Timothy Gartelmann SC told the court there was no alternative to Day being sentenced to full time imprisonment.

The detention application was adjourned to Friday.

The verdict vindicates two years of legal proceedings launched by Mr Sebastian to reclaim money missing from his accounts, which were managed by Mr Day.

He became Mr Sebastian’s manager in 2009 when he started his own talent management business 6 Degrees. The court was told the two were close friends but parted ways after a bitter falling out in 2017.

Day and Guy Sebastian were close during their eight-year working relationship.

Following the separation, Mr Sebastian claimed he found anomalies in his financial records. He launched legal action against his former manager to recoup the money he was owed.

Mr Day responded with a counterclaim, alleging it was he who was owed money by Mr Sebastian – a claim the reality TV show judge denied.

Both men continued to argue the other owed them money throughout the heated trial in Sydney’s Downing Centre District Court.

In his summation of the facts of the case, Judge Gartelmann told the jurors a guilty verdict was only possible if the Crown had proven Mr Sebastian’s estranged ex-manager deliberately withheld money owed to the musician.

“It is not enough for the Crown to prove that he (Mr Day) in fact had no right to use the money as he did,” he said.

“The Crown must prove beyond reasonable doubt that he knew he had no right to use the money as he did at the time.”

Titus Day leaves the Downing Centre on Friday on bail awaiting sentencing. Day was found guilty of defrauding Guy Sebastian of almost $1 million. Picture: Nikki Short

Throughout the nearly two-month trial, Judge Gartelmann said the Crown argued that Mr Day was an experienced celebrity manager who was aware of his actions when handling Mr Sebastian’s money.

The Crown argued that Mr Day “misappropriated the money” by withdrawing it and using it “for purposes other than Mr Sebastian’s benefits,” the judge said.

However, the defence barrister representing Mr Day told the court his client was entitled to be reimbursed for the expenses he incurred while working for the Australian Idol winner.

“The accused, the defence argue, clearly had a belief that he was owed the money,” Judge Gartelmann said.

“The defence acknowledged the accused withheld (some of) the payments concerned … the defence argue this was because Mr Sebastian owed the accused money.”

The jury agreed Day withheld money from Mr Sebastian.

The court was told Mr Day used some of the money owed to Mr Sebastian – including about $187,000 from a Taylor Swift support act gig – to purchase shares on his behalf in a company called My Medical Records. The court heard Mr Day sat on the board of the company at the time.

However, Mr Day was acquitted of embezzling $39,000 from a British and Irish Lions rugby tour performance, and other sums of money ranging from $6000 to $39,000 and $125,000.

After the dissolution of their eight-year working relationship, Mr Day told the court he applied for an apprehended violence order against The Voice judge out of fear for his safety because “Guy has a violent history”.

Mr Sebastian denied the claims and the application was dismissed.

The lengthy trial has been plagued by delays, including the death of the original judge assigned to the case, Mr Sebastian’s Covid-19 diagnosis and health emergencies.

Originally published as ‘Painful chapter finally over’: Guy Sebastian responds after former manager Titus Day learns fate