Guy Sebastian to take stand in trial of ex-manager over embezzlement allegations
Guy Sebastian is set to take the stand in the trial of his former manager Titus Day who is defending a raft of embezzlement allegations.
Day is currently standing trial in the NSW District Court to defend against claims he embezzled hundreds of thousands of dollars in royalties and performance fees from the Battle Scars hitmaker.
He has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of embezzlement as a clerk or servant and one count of attempting to dishonestly obtain financial advantage by deception.
The trial commenced on Thursday and Sebastian, 43, is expected to take to the stand in 'the coming days', The Australian reported on Friday.
Sebastian was first managed by Day when he worked, as a senior client management executive for the 22 Management Agency, the jury was told on Thursday.
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In 2009, Day established his own agency, 6Degrees, where Sebastian became the 'marquee client'.
It was alleged the pair's relationship began to sour after Sebastian discovered what he alleged to be irregularities in financial records.
It was also claimed that Day, who worked on a 20 per cent commission of Sebastian's income after costs, failed to pay royalties and performance fees collected on the Australian Idol winner's behalf.
The publication reported that one of the charges related to a claim that Day failed to pay Sebastian $187,000 - a performance fee for his support act slot on Taylor Swift's 2013 Australian tour.
During the first day of Day's trial on Thursday, Crown prosecutor Brett Hatfield SC informed the court that Sebastian had placed a 'significant trust' in his manager, who then 'abused' that trust by embezzling his money.
'Through his role as Mr Sebastian's manager, and his capacity of collecting his money on behalf of Mr Sebastian, the accused is alleged to have embezzled Mr Sebastian's money and he's done that by collecting Mr Sebastian's money and failing to remit it in accordance with his agreement,' Hatfield said.
'Mr Sebastian will tell you that this agreement reposed significant trust in the accused and the Crown case is that the accused abused this trust by dishonestly embezzling Mr Sebastian's money.'
Before the trial's commencement, Day spoke to news.com.au about his ongoing, eight-year legal battle.
'I also just want it over,' he told the publication.
Aside from Sebastian, Day has also managed a raft of high-profile clients including Grant Denyer, Sophie Monk, Tina Arena, and Stephanie Rice.
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