Sri Lankan cricketer Danushka Gunathilaka has been acquitted of a sexual assault charge related to an incident in November 2022. The Sydney’s Downing Centre District Court found him not guilty on September 28, following a trial. The case involved a Tinder date between Gunathilaka and a woman they met on the dating app. They went out for drinks at Opera Bar, had pizza in the Sydney CBD, and later went to her house in the eastern suburbs.
The woman accused the cricketer of inappropriate behavior during their encounter, including slapping her on the buttocks, forcefully kissing her, bruising her lips, and choking her during sex.
The police had detained Gunathilaka at the Hyatt Regency before the Sri Lankan cricket team was scheduled to depart the country. It’s important to note that three of the charges against him were dismissed by the prosecution, and only the “stealthing” case went to trial.
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Gunathilaka consistently maintained his innocence throughout the trial, pleading not guilty to the charge of engaging in sexual activity without consent, specifically related to the act of “stealthing.” His defense counsel questioned the credibility of the complainant, arguing that her version of events had changed over time to portray him as an aggressive person.
Sri Lanka Cricketer Danushka Gunathilaka has been found not guilty of the sexual assault of a Tinder date through the act of “stealthing” in Australia. @danushka_70 👏 pic.twitter.com/qwchvSLlo6
— Nibraz Ramzan (@nibraz88cricket) September 28, 2023
In delivering the verdict, Judge Sarah Huggett stated, “The evidence establishes that there was no opportunity for the accused to remove the condom during intercourse because that intercourse was continuous.” Judge Huggett also noted that the alleged victim, whose identity is protected by law, was an intelligent witness motivated by a desire to cast doubt on Gunathilaka, rather than intentionally providing false testimony.
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Throughout the trial, Gunathilaka remained free on bail but was restricted from playing international cricket or returning to Colombo. The verdict has cleared his name of the sexual assault charge, marking a significant development in the case.
