Ultra Tune boss Sean Buckley will stand trial for charges of stalking and assaulting ex-girlfriend Jennifer Cruz Cole

Sean Buckley has been committed to stand trial on charges of stalking and assaulting his model ex-girlfriend.

Ultra Tune boss Sean Buckley will stand trial after evidence was tested at an eight-day hearing. Picture: Luis Ascui

Ultra Tune boss Sean Buckley will stand trial for allegedly stalking and assaulting his model ex-girlfriend, but will not have to fight another serious charge after it was thrown out by a magistrate.

Mr Buckley, 62, was on Wednesday committed to the County Court for trial following an eight-day hearing to test the evidence against him.

While Magistrate Andrew McKenna found there was enough evidence to support a conviction of stalking, making a threat to kill and common law assault, he dismissed the charge of recklessly causing injury.

Three of the four offences were alleged to have taken place in a Crown Towers apartment in Melbourne on January 18, 2020, when Jennifer Cruz Cole went to visit the car repair magnate, who she was dating at the time.

Jennifer Cruz Cole was allegedly stalked and assaulted by her ex Sean Buckley.

On the second day of the committal hearing, the court was played shocking audio of Mr Buckley allegedly assaulting Ms Cole in the room, in which she can be heard begging the “evil monster” to stop.

The 20-minute recording was aired in court last month, with Mr Buckley heard accusing Ms Cole of interfering in a dispute which he says could send him to jail.

He then discovered she was secretly recording their conversation, which resulted in the pair physically struggling over her phone as he attempted to place it under a running tap.

Thumps, which Ms Cole alleged were sounds made by Mr Buckley punching her in the face, could be heard while Ms Cole screeches “stop it” and begins to cry.

A 20-minute recording was aired in court last month of a dispute between the pair.

The bikini model claimed she suffered a fracture to a facial bone, but Mr McKenna said three medical specialists could not confirm such an injury.

He also said her accounts of the assault “deviated” from one to two punches, to up to 10.

“My view is the evidence is not of sufficient weight to support a conviction against Mr Buckley in respect of … recklessly causing injury,” he said.

However, he said the alternative charge of common law assault could proceed to trial, in relation to the struggle for the phone.

“There’s barely enough, but just enough, to warrant the matter going before a jury for a determination as to whether he committed common law assault,” he said.

Ms Cole’s recording also allegedly picked up Mr Buckley threatening to kill the former manager of his Surfers Paradise strip club, Jimmy “Mr Vegas” Seoud.

Co-accused Wade D’Andrea, 40, who faced the same committal hearing, will also stand trial for a single charge of stalking.

Mr D’Andrea is one of the men allegedly hired by the Ultra Tune chief executive to stalk Ms Cole over a number of months.

Jennifer Cruz Cole gave evidence at the Melbourne Magistrates' Court during the committal. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw

She told the court she believed Mr Buckley was keeping her under surveillance because he wanted to know if she was cheating on him, since they were considering getting married.

She recounted to the court the moment she returned to her apartment in July 2020 to fetch an umbrella and noticed someone was hiding in her laundry.

Ms Cole was video calling Mr Buckley when she made the discovery and repeatedly screamed at him to “call 911”.

But she was unaware in the moment that he had allegedly hired Mr D’Andrea to stalk her.

Mr McKenna said Mr Buckley had a “desire to discover” whether Ms Cole was cheating and

said the “totality” of the evidence was sufficient to support a conviction of stalking.

When asked by the magistrate whether he pleaded guilty or not guilty to making a threat to kill, common law assault and stalking, Mr Buckley replied: “Not guilty.”

His co-accused also pleaded not guilty to his single charge.

Bail was extended for both men.

They will next front the County Court on April 17.