Ultra Tune legal battle: judge laments ‘mudslinging’ in court
A legal battle between the founder of Ultra Tune and his bikini model ex-girlfriend involved ‘mudslinging’ in court, a judge has said.
A judge presiding over a legal battle between an Ultra Tune magnate and his glamorous ex-girlfriend has lamented “mudslinging” in the court stoush over secret recordings.
Ultra Tune boss Sean Buckley and his bikini model ex-girlfriend Jennifer Cruz Cole are locked in a civil court fight.
Mr Buckley has accused his former partner of making and sharing the recordings without his knowledge.
He launched legal action when some of them became public.
Mr Buckley is suing his ex and former employee Anthony Swords to permanently block them from publishing the recordings.
He wants the tapes destroyed.
Both Mr Buckley and Ms Cole were on the videolink for a hearing in the Supreme Court of Victoria on Monday but neither had their cameras turned on.
“There’s a fair bit of mudslinging on both sides,” Associate Justice Melissa Daly said during the hearing.
The car repair magnate’s lawyer, John Searle, said an affidavit filed late on Sunday afternoon in relation to the case should not be allowed on the court record.
If it was allowed on file, it should not be relied upon, he said.
“It makes a series of outrageous allegations in relation to Mr Buckley,” Mr Searle said.
There were “extraordinary, outlandish” allegations in the affidavit which weren’t supported in any way and appeared to “sully” the reputation of his client, the lawyer said.
But lawyer Stephen Palmer, who represented Mr Swords, said the affidavit showed his client wasn’t involved in sharing the recordings at the centre of the feud.
His client did not send any recordings to the media, Mr Palmer said.
Mr Searle also argued the matter should be heard in closed court and Associate Justice Daly agreed.
She said it was to ensure “full and frank” argument for both parties.
The car repair boss wants to stop the tapes from ever being released.
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 franchises that turn over $220 million annually.
The pair will return to court at a later date.