A Sydney woman who alleges she was raped by Sri Lankan cricketer Danushka Gunathilaka told police her date with the 31-year-old turned into a nightmare in which she feared for her life, according to prosecution documents made public on Wednesday (November 9). The woman was allegedly sexually assaulted four times in her home at Sydney’s Rose Bay on November 2 after going out for drinks and pizza with the international sports star.
According to a police facts sheet filed with the Downing Center Local Court, the couple matched on the Tinder dating app then shared a number of video calls through WhatsApp before meeting in person at a bar near the Sydney Opera House.The woman, who cannot be identified, alleges Gunathilaka forcefully kissed her and slapped her buttocks on a ferry ride to her home. After they arrived at her home, the cricketer allegedly refused to wear a condom and choked the woman three times.“The complainant tried to remove the accused’s hand by grabbing his wrist, but the accused squeezed tighter around her neck,” police documents allege. “The complainant was fearing for her life and could not get away from the accused.”She also couldn’t breathe during an attempt at forced oral sex, court documents allege. “She continually tried to pull away from the accused, a clear indication that she was not consenting,” police allege.
During the police interview after his arrest, Gunathilaka corroborated some of the alleged victim’s story but denied that he had been violent or that she had not given consent. Prosecutors allege the victim did not consent to sex without a condom or any of the other sexual acts that took place. The Sri Lankan cricket board on Monday suspended national team player Danushka Gunathalika from all forms of cricket with immediate effect after he was arrested in Australia on charges of sexual assault during the country's campaign in the T20 World Cup. The Sri Lankan team had left Australia without Gunathilaka after being eliminated from the T20 World Cup on Saturday. Gunathilaka was denied bail after the hearing at a local court in Sydney on Monday. He attended the hearing via a video link in Downing Centre Local Court from Surry Hills cells.
