Sri Lankan cricketer Danushka Gunathilaka charged with alleged sexual assault of woman in Sydney
Sri Lankan international cricketer Danuska Gunathilaka has been charged with the alleged sexual assault of a woman in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.
Mr Gunathilaka, 31, was arrested about 1am on Sunday after the woman, 29, made a complaint to police last week.
Police allege the cricketer sexually assaulted a woman he met in Rose Bay on Wednesday, after they had been chatting on an online dating application for several days.
On Saturday, detectives from the Sex Crimes Squad and Eastern Suburbs police formed Strike Force Veteran to investigate the allegations.
Mr Gunathilaka was arrested at a hotel on Sussex Street in Sydney CBD and taken to a local police station.
He has been charged with four counts of sexual intercourse without consent.
Mr Gunathilaka was refused bail by police and is expected to appear before Downing Centre Local Court on Monday.
A crime scene has also been examined at a property in Rose Bay, police said.
Full name Mestiyage don Danishka Gunathilaka, the 31-year-old has been in Australia to play in the T20 World Cup.
Mr Gunathilaka, who goes by the first name “Danushka”, last played for his country on October 16.
(ABC News)
Latest Headlines in Sri Lanka
- Defence Ministry finalizes MOU for ten-story cancer unit at Karapitiya Hospital November 5, 2024
- Chandrika Kumaratunga raises security concerns in letter to Ministry of Public Security November 5, 2024
- Person arrested for creating counterfeit 5,000-Rupee note featuring Sri Lankan President November 5, 2024
- Supreme Court orders hearing of defense in acquittals of Ex-IGP and Defense Secretary November 5, 2024
- Sri Lanka to launch biometric Electronic National ID Cards in December November 5, 2024
Must be due to the stress of giving away (as a team) the matches with NZ, As and UK.
When you are representing a Nation of 25m people, and specially if you are a married man, you should keep away from Tinder and learn to behave yourself, which is the greatest sport of all.
These criminals think they can get away in foreign countries as they do these despicable activities in Sri Lanka with the help from the crocked Sri Lanka politician’s etc. I hope he get minimum of 25 years with hard labor in a Australian prison.
I was the first to condemn this guy. He has to think of the reputation of the country and the people above all before he was going on the dating app. But, as always, until the facts come out we should wait before we make up our minds about what happened. The recent case against Prince Andrew demonstrates it is much easier to sue somebody on sexual misconduct in Australia than in the USA. For the same reason, there are always people who start earning money using anything that will give a good profit. Since nobody has so far disputed the woman invited/took him to her home quite late in night, and, there are no other witnesses, we should wait until the facts come before the court and cross examined. While it is possible a rape has taken place, it is also possible a business woman supported by unscrupulous lawyers netted this donkey who had been intoxicated with alcohol and his own hormones, trying to make a good profit. As I heard on the TV while somebody looking at the newspapers today, the managers and cricket authorities also should answer why this guy was not sent home if he was unfit to play and why he was not managed if he was a member of the SL team.
Yes, the cricketer in question went to this lady’s residence to have consensual sex. We don’t know how this consensual sex became a rape? May be the victim has decided to milk the publicity! Danushka the cricketer is not only representing Cricket but the whole nation of SL. He brought disrepute to Sri Lanka. This is not only the first time Danusker had this kind of accusations in the past too. That said, Makhhaya Ntini (in Auz), Russel Arnold (in Nairobi), Ian Botham (in Bridge town), Rubel Hossain and Amit Mishra (in Bangalore) all been accused of sexual assault but have been cleared due to the acts being entirely consensual.
If the prosecution with all the goodwill in their heart approach the defense to settle the case outside the court to prevent the damage to the young player’s career and too much distress for few millions of AUS$ we will know. Funnily, I did not hear the defense telling the women had been medically examined. There must be lots of physical evidence of four times being raped and struggle to protect her virtue.
The revelations in Sydney Courts today paint a terrible picture of the event.
Well, the person is innocent until proven guilty. The laws of consent in Australia are so tight that casual sex without WRITTEN consent will always be against the law.
Wonder why this person is being supported by SL Cricket. This is a private incident and the accused should support his case himself or rely on community legal resources.
He has brought about irreparable shame on our Mathroobhoomi.