Woman assaulted by Danushka said she feared for her life
The woman allegedly sexually assaulted by Sri Lankan cricketer Danushka Gunathilaka said she feared for her life as she was choked so hard she required a brain scan to check for injury.
Gunathilaka is accused of engaging in “forceful” sexual intercourse with the woman, allegedly choking her three times – once for up to 30 seconds.
Magistrate Robert Williams had agreed to suppress details of the allegations and other elements of the case, issuing a wide-ranging gag order.
But the suppression order was successfully challenged by Australian media, which have now reported graphic details of the alleged assault against the unnamed woman.
Court documents cited by public broadcaster ABC say the pair connected on a dating app before meeting at a popular bar near Sydney’s Opera House on November 2.
They then travelled by ferry to the alleged victim’s home and after several drinks Gunathilaka allegedly forced himself on her multiple times.
It is alleged that during one of the assaults the woman saw a condom on the floor, despite asking Gunathilaka to wear one.
Police at the Parklea prison, one of Australia’s toughest jails in Sydney’s north-west where Danushka Gunathilaka is currently placed, has revealed:
“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.”
“She also couldn’t breathe during an attempt at forced oral sex and she continually tried to pull away from the accused, a clear indication that she was not consenting.”
The next day, police say the complainant told two friends what had happened, spoke to a counselling service and saw her doctor before contacting police.
She then underwent a sexual assault forensic examination at hospital and a brain scan to check for any injury resulting from the alleged repeated choking, they say.
In an interview with police detailed in the court documents, Gunathilaka denied any violence and said the sex had been consensual, but, when asked by detectives, could not recall conversations with the complainant about consent.
Under new “affirmative consent” laws in New South Wales (NSW) – where the alleged incident occurred – a person must say or do something to communicate their consent for sex.
The reforms, which came into effect in June, also made “stealthing” – the removal of a condom without consent – a sexual assault offence. (AFP / BBC / Colombo Gazette)
