Daughter of Sanity Music boss Ray Itaoui allegedly stabbed husband during ‘psychotic episode’, court hears

The stepdaughter of Sanity Music and retail boss Ray Itaoui was in the midst of an acute psychotic episode when she allegedly stabbed her husband in the throat, a court has heard.

Sanity music boss Ray Itaoui with his daughter Kayla, who has been charged with stabbing her husband. Picture: Facebook

The stepdaughter of Sanity Music and retail boss Ray Itaoui was in the midst of an acute psychotic episode when she allegedly stabbed her husband in the throat, a court has heard.

Details of the deteriorating, yet previously undiagnosed, mental illness that led Kayla Ann Itaoui to be scheduled to a mental health hospital last year can be revealed for the first time after the 30-year-old this week asked a magistrate to amend bail conditions preventing her from living with her husband Adam Allam.

The bail bid coincides with police revelations that investigators are yet to obtain any formal statement from Mr Allam, who has refused to help prosecutors mount their case against his wife.

Itaoui’s lawyer, Abigail Bannister, told the court that Mr Allam’s refusal to co-operate with police meant the case against her client would likely fail at trial.

Ms Bannister further said Itaoui’s mental health would be a central part of the defence case if the matter proceeded.

Kayla Itaoui (left) leaving Burwood Local Court with her lawyer Abigail Bannister.

She said her client had developed depression, for which she had been prescribed antidepressant medication by a doctor.

However, Ms Bannister said the medication did not work and Itaoui began having delusional episodes with “severe psychotic features”.

She was involuntarily scheduled to the mental health unit at Concord Hospital last July for treatment, and the alleged stabbing occurred the following month while Itaoui was on day release at the direction of her doctors.

Ms Bannister said Itaoui had been bailed back to the hospital ward after she was charged, in order to continue with her treatment.

She said Itaoui had since started receiving monthly injections of antipsychotic medication, which had successfully stabilised her moods.

Ray Itaoui leaving Burwood Court last year after his stepdaughter was released on $100,000 bail. Picture: Adam Yip

The court heard Itaoui’s current bail conditions allowed her to spend her days at the Greenacre home but required her to return at night to her parents’ Vaucluse mansion, which the Itaouis purchased for $47 million in 2017, breaking property records at the time.

Itaoui sought to amend the condition to allow her to return home to Greenacre permanently — a move which was fully supported by Mr Allam, the court heard.

Kayla Itaoui (middle) with her parents Rachel and Ray Itaoui, on her wedding day. Picture: Facebook

She also asked for permission to travel overseas with Mr Allam to Singapore for a holiday later this month.

Magistrate Stephan Herridge refused the application, saying there was a risk she may have further psychotic episodes which could place her family in danger.

“I’m very sympathetic with the situation her family is in and what they’ve been through,” he said.

“(But) her psychosis is a recent diagnosis and the treatment for it has been successful for four months.

“The court accepts the prosecution’s submission that it’s still early days.”

Itaoui flew solo at this week’s court appearance, but has previously been supported by family members, including Mr Itaoui, who rushed back from a prestigious event in Melbourne upon learning of his daughter’s arrest last year, and lodged a $100,000 surety at her initial bail application.

Mr Itaoui — who is named in the top 100 richest people in Australia — is the current chief executive of Best and Less.
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