Sri Lankan international cricketer Danushka Gunathilaka has been granted bail on sexual assault charges after a court heard he had the support of the Sri Lankan cricket association and government and a surety of $150,000 was offered.
Magistrate Janet Wahlquist granted bail on conditions including a $150,000 surety, reporting to police daily, a curfew from 9 pm and 6 am, not contacting the complainant, and a ban on accessing Tinder and dating applications.
According to The Guardian, Magistrate Janet Wahlquist granted Gunathilaka bail on Thursday in Sydney’s Downing Centre local court, where he appeared via an audiovisual link from Parklea jail.
Police prosecutor Kerry-Ann McKinnon opposed bail on the grounds Gunathilaka is a flight risk and that he could endanger the safety of the complainant, who cannot be identified for legal reasons.
Wahlquist said she would take into account how bail would be approached if Gunathilaka was an Australian citizen facing the same charges.
Murugan Thangaraj SC, for Gunathilaka, agreed that would result in him being released, stating, “Of course, he would be on bail in these circumstances.”
A police facts sheet filed with the court said: “The complainant tried to remove the accused’s hand by grabbing his wrist but the accused squeezed tighter around her neck.”
“The complainant was fearing for her life and could not get away from the accused.”
In a police interview after his arrest, Gunathilaka corroborated some of the alleged victim’s story but denied he had been violent or consent was not given.
Prosecutors allege the victim did not consent to sex without a condom or any of the other sexual acts performed.
Thangaraj said Gunathilaka has complied with authorities investigating and surrendered his passport. “There is no capacity demonstrated for him to be able to flee,” Thangaraj said.
Bail was granted with a $150,000 surety and various conditions, including Gunathilaka not using Tinder or any other dating apps. He’s also prevented from accessing his existing social media accounts unless in the company of his legal team.
McKinnon argued the alleged victim could be at risk.“This man was in her home, they walked to the address together,” she said.
Thangaraj agreed the pair walked to her home together, but said it was nighttime, he had never been to the area before and they had walked for up to 15 minutes.
The unidentified complainant was being harassed via social media, and has had to close her accounts, Ms McKinnon said. The harassment was coming from accounts with “Sri Lankan names”, she said.
Thangaraj said that was irrelevant. “He has not encouraged a single person to do a single thing. She’s off social media, so that’s all stopped,” he added.
Gunathilaka will be required to live at a specific address and report to the police daily.
The Sri Lankan cricketer, 31, was arrested in the early hours of 6 October at Sydney’s Hyatt Regency Hotel, where he was staying while the Sri Lankan cricket team were in Australia for the T20 World Cup. He is facing four counts of sexual intercourse without consent. (NewsWire)