Police allege Sydney woman was choked, sexually assaulted by Sri Lankan cricketer Danushka Gunathilaka after meeting on Tinder
A Sydney woman has said she feared for her life on a date after meeting Sri Lankan cricketer Danushka Gunathilaka on Tinder.
The woman, who cannot be identified, was allegedly sexually assaulted four times in her Rose Bay home on 2 November after going out for drinks and pizza with the international sports star.
Gunathilaka, 31, allegedly refused to wear a condom and choked the woman three times, according to a New South Wales police facts sheet filed with the Downing Centre local court.
Gunathilaka was arrested in the early hours of Sunday at Sydney’s Hyatt Regency Hotel where the Sri Lankan cricket team was preparing to leave Australia after its last game in the T20 World Cup.
He faces four counts of sexual intercourse without consent and has not yet entered a plea.
According to the police facts sheet, the couple matched on Tinder and later had a number of video calls through WhatsApp before meeting in person.
The woman alleges Gunathilaka forcefully kissed her and slapped her buttocks on the ferry home.
After they arrived at her home, the woman “tried to remove the accused’s hand by grabbing his wrist but the accused squeezed tighter around her neck”, the police facts sheet says.
“The complainant was fearing for her life and could not get away from the accused.”
She also gagged and could not breath during an attempt at oral sex, the court documents claim.
“She continually tried to pull away from the accused, a clear indication that she was not consenting.”
In a police interview after his arrest, Gunathilaka corroborated some of the alleged victim’s story but denied that he had been violent or that consent had not been given.
Prosecutors allege the victim did not consent to sex without a condom or any of the other sexual acts performed.
With Gunathilaka not having any ties in Australia, still living with his parents, and receiving $A18,500 a month for playing in the Sri Lankan cricket team, police investigators believe there is a risk of him fleeing the country if released.
On Monday, a bail application by Gunathilaka while in custody at Surry Hills police station was rejected by magistrate Robert Williams.
Gunathilaka travelled to Australia with Sri Lanka’s T20 World Cup team but only played in their first game, a loss against Namibia, before being ruled out of the rest of the competition with a hamstring tear.
Sri Lanka bowed out of the tournament on Saturday night, after losing their final match to England.
Gunathilaka was due to fly back to Sri Lanka on Sunday.
On Monday, Sri Lanka Cricket announced it would conduct its own inquiry, saying Gunathilaka would be penalised if the court in Australia found him guilty.
The matter will return to court on 12 January.