Guy Sebastian’s manager Titus Day fights to recoup nearly $1m in legal fees

The former manager of pop star Guy Sebastian is fighting to have his legal bill paid by the state after his fraud convictions were overturned.

Pop star Guy Sebastian’s former manager has asked the state to pay his estimated $1m legal costs after he successfully overturned his convictions for defrauding his famous client.

Titus Emanuel Day was jailed for at least 2½ years in November 2022 after a jury found him guilty of 34 fraud-related charges, including misappropriating more than $620,000.

The manager to the stars successfully overturned his convictions on appeal last year and is due to face a retrial next year. He has continued to deny the allegations against him.

Mr Day’s lawyers have filed an application for a temporary stay of his retrial until the Crown prosecution compensates him for reasonable legal costs he incurred during the initial trial and appeal.

Australian musician Guy Sebastian claims he was defrauded by his former manager. Picture: NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard

Titus Day has denied the allegations. Picture: NewsWire / David Swift

It’s understood Mr Day’s legal costs amount to nearly $1m.

The NSW District Court previously was told the Crown had agreed it should pay reasonable costs but the amount was yet to be determined.

If the parties are unable to reach an agreement on the figure, it will be determined by the court.

Mr Day’s solicitor Lauren MacDougall told NewsWire it would be unfair to proceed with the retrial before Mr Day received compensation.

“It is a serious matter for the Court of Criminal Appeal to conclude that there has been a miscarriage of justice on account of the conduct of the Crown prosecutor and to quash convictions accordingly. That is what has occurred in this case,” she said.

“Our position is that given the Crown is at fault in this regard, it would be an injustice to Mr Day in allowing him to face a further trial without compensating him for his wasted costs thrown away as a result of his first trial miscarrying”.

Mr Day and Mr Sebastian were friends before the fraud allegations of fraud came to light.

The stay application will be determined by the Court on October 14 if no agreement between the parties can be reached before then.

Mr Day became Mr Sebastian’s manager in 2009 and the pair became close friends before they had a bitter falling out eight years later.

The award-winning musician claimed he had found anomalies in his financial records that he blamed on his manager.

Mr Sebastian launched legal proceedings against his former friend to recoup the money he claimed he was owed.

Mr Day hit back with a counterclaim that alleged he was the one owed money by the former Australian Idol winner.

Both men have vehemently denied the allegations against them.