NewsBite

Updated

Ultra Tune boss Sean Buckley’s ex Jen Cruz Cole sentenced in court

UPDATED: THE ex of Ultra Tune franchise tycoon Sean Buckley has been sentenced for contempt of court for circulating a secret recording of him that he’s trying to suppress.

Australia's Court System

UPDATED: THE ex of Ultra Tune franchise tycoon Sean Buckley has been fined $500 for contempt of court for circulating a secret recording of him that he’s trying to suppress.

Jennifer Cruz Cole, a bikini model, nurse and mother of their young child, pleaded guilty to contempt after she circulated recordings she had made of them having a private conversation at a Crown Towers suite in Melbourne.

Jennifer Cruz Cole.
Jennifer Cruz Cole.

Justice Keogh, in the Supreme Court in Victoria on Wednesday, fined her $500, plus costs. The recordings had been suppressed by a court order in mid-February, 2021 – and she admitted breaching it on two occasions weeks later.

Ms Cole, who starred in Ultra Tune’s Pamela Anderson TV ad, declined to comment on the outcome.

EARLIER: THE ex-partner of Ultra Tune roadside repair franchise tycoon Sean Buckley has admitted contempt of court for circulating a secret recording of him that he’s trying to suppress.

Back in February, the Supreme Court banned any distribution of the recordings, the existence of which were first revealed by the Bulletin in January.

At the time, the Bulletin revealed Mr Buckley, a multi-millionaire based on the Gold Coast, was desperately trying to gag ex-girlfriend Jennifer Cruz Cole from releasing the audio.

Jennifer Cruz Cole, former Ultra Tune ambassador and ex-girlfriend of Sean Buckley.
Jennifer Cruz Cole, former Ultra Tune ambassador and ex-girlfriend of Sean Buckley.

He threatened Ms Cole – a nurse and bikini model who starred in Ultra Tune’s most recent TV ad featuring Pamela Anderson – with legal action unless all copies of the recording were retrieved and destroyed.

Ms Cole, who has a young daughter with Mr Buckley, pleaded guilty to one count of contempt in the Supreme Court of Victoria on Tuesday, The Age has reported.

Her barrister, David Hancock, told the court his client breached the court order by sending the recording to two of Mr Buckley’s colleagues, the newspaper said.

Jennifer Cruz Cole has pleaded guilty to contempt.
Jennifer Cruz Cole has pleaded guilty to contempt.

“The dissemination of the recordings was to persons who were already in possession of it, and there was no loss or damage as a result of the delivery of the messages,” Mr Hancock said, as reported by the Age.

He said Ms Cole, who separated from Mr Buckley last year, was sorry for her actions, and had offered to pay Mr Buckley’s indemnity costs for the contempt hearing.

However, Mr Buckley’s barrister, Renee Sion, said the circulation of the recording was a deliberate attempt by Ms Cole to damage her client’s reputation, The Age reported.

“The breaches were committed as part of an ongoing dispute between the parties, and that dispute is not likely to end any time soon. The breaches were committed, in our submission, in a manner that was calculated to result in a loss in reputation to my client,” Ms Sion said.

Justice Keogh will sentence Ms Cole on Wednesday.

Ms Cole and Mr Buckley did not respond to Bulletin requests for comment on Tuesday night.

Back in March, Ms Cole told the Bulletin she had ditched her lawyer and was using public library legal textbooks to help her navigate the Supreme Court battle with her ex-lover.

“I am parenting our young daughter, and will not allow Sean Buckley to drain me financially with the burden of legal costs. He has all the money in the world to hire all kinds of solicitors,” she told the Bulletin at the time.

“I am a single mother and my priority is my daughter. This is my desperate decision to avoid any legal costs that can be utilised for my daughter’s wellbeing.”

ryan.keen@news.com.au

Original URL: https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/truecrimeaustralia/police-courts-gold-coast/ultra-tune-owner-sean-buckley-ex-jen-cruz-cole-admits-contempt/news-story/610e82451e75ecb707a5bf9716af2c4d