Model fined over text message about ex-partner and UltraTune boss
A model and ex-partner of the boss of UltraTune has been fined because she texted a secret recording after being warned by a court not to.
A model has been fined over an audio recording sent by text of her ex-husband and UltraTune boss Sean Buckley.
Jennifer Cole was ordered to pay $500 and Mr Buckley’s legal costs relating to contempt of court, which she pleaded guilty to, in the Supreme Court of Victoria on Wednesday.
Justice Andrew Keogh said Ms Cole breached a court order by sending the recording as a text attachment to two people.
She had been ordered by a judge not to publish it to anyone as part of a suit brought by Mr Buckley attempting to have the recording destroyed.
The content of the recording was published by The Age newspaper in February, which is referred to in Mr Buckley’s statement of claim.
Ms Cole and Mr Buckley, who share a daughter, broke up in December.
Mr Buckley founded the Ultra Tune empire in the late 1970s and the company now has more than 270 car repair franchises that turn over $220m annually.
Ms Cole appeared in racy ads for the company, which featured dancing women in skin-tight outfits called the “Rubber Girls”.
Mr Buckley launched the civil legal proceedings in February in a bid to stop the recordings from becoming public, arguing they were in breach of the Surveillance and Devices Act.
In a statement of claim, he said Ms Cole made “many” secret recordings throughout their relationship that were confidential and alleged she demanded millions of dollars in exchange for keeping them private.