Sri Lanka cricketer Danushka Gunathilaka has been arrested on assault charges in Sydney while the other players have left Australia without him after playing their final group match of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2022. The 31-year-old was staying with the team after getting ruled out of the tournament during the first round as he suffered a hamstring injury. Gunathilaka was arrested in the early hours of Sunday morning from the team hotel in Sydney after a police investigation.
“Sri Lanka cricketer Danushka Gunathilaka arrested in Sydney on rape charges, team leaves Australia without him: Team source,” PTI news agency tweeted.
Sri Lanka cricketer Danushka Gunathilaka arrested in Sydney on rape charges, team leaves Australia without him: Team source
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 6, 2022
According to the reports in ESPNCricinfo regarding Danushka Gunathilaka arrest, New South Wales Police informed, “The woman met with the man after communicating with him for a number of days via an online dating application; it is alleged he then sexually assaulted her on the evening of Wednesday 2 November 2022.”
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They further added, “As part of ongoing investigations, a crime scene examination was undertaken by specialist police at an address in Rose Bay yesterday. Following further inquiries, a 31-year-old man was arrested at a hotel on Sussex Street, Sydney, shortly before 1am today (Sunday 6 November 2022).”
Police concluded by saying, ‘He was taken to Sydney City Police Station and charged with four counts of sexual intercourse without consent. The Sri Lankan national was refused bail to appear at Parramatta Bail Court via AVL (audio visual links) today.”
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According to details on the website of New South Wale Police, a 29-year-old woman had been sexually assaulted at a residence in Rose Bay earlier this week. Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) is yet to issue a statement on the matter. Danushka Gunathilakaplayed against Namibia in the first-round match of the ongoing T20 World Cup and was out for a duck.