Ex-girlfriend of Ultra Tune tycoon Sean Buckley accused of sharing secret tapes
The ex-girlfriend of Ultra Tune tycoon Sean Buckley allegedly shared secret tapes that portray a “violent attack”, despite a court order.
Police & Courts
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The ex-girlfriend of Ultra Tune tycoon Sean Buckley has been accused of disseminating secret recordings in breach of a court order.
Bikini model Jennifer Cruz Cole and the millionaire car repair magnate are locked in a Supreme Court fight over the recordings that portray a “violent attack” against her, earlier hearings have been told.
The court slapped an injunction on Ms Cole in February, preventing her from releasing some 100 tapes of their private conversations.
But the Supreme Court on Wednesday was told of claims Ms Cole breached that injunction a month later, leading to a warning from Justice John Dixon that breaches carried “very serious consequences”.
The tapes — the public release of which would put the mogul’s reputation “in significant peril” or lead to “extraordinary economic loss” — were forwarded to “other parties”, according to Mr Buckley’s lawyer, John Searle.
Mr Searle said two people had “both sworn affidavits as to copies of a recording that was circulated to them or provided to them by Ms Cole” on March 7 and 8.
Justice Dixon told Ms Cole — who was representing herself — she was “definitely going to need legal advice if she’s going to face a contempt of court application that’s going to bear serious consequences”.
“It’s not an area where I recommend you try and look after yourself — it’s like swimming with sharks,” Justice Dixon said.
“If the plaintiff can establish beyond reasonable doubt that you have already engaged in such conduct then you are exposed to a risk of punishment — and that’s a matter about which you should get legal advice.”
Ms Cole said it was “a lot to take on” and sought more time than the allocated two weeks to seek legal counsel.
“I don’t have the power that Mr Buckley has,” she told the court.
But Justice Dixon said two weeks was “quite generous”.
Ms Cole and Mr Buckley, who share a daughter, broke up in December.
The matter was adjourned for a further directions hearing on June 9.
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