Sexual Assault Accused SL Cricketer Gunathilaka Granted Bail In Sydney

An Australian judge on Thursday granted bail to Sri Lankan cricketer Danushka Gunathilaka in relation to the sexual assault allegations. With the help of the government and the Sri Lankan Cricket Association, Gunathilaka offered a security of Aus $163,500 to secure the bail.

The 31-year-old batsman was arrested on November 6 at the Hyatt Regency hotel in Sydney just before he was scheduled to board the team’s flight home after they crashed out of the T20 World Cup.

After allegedly sexually assaulting a 29-year-old woman in Sydney’s eastern suburbs on November 2, Gunathilaka has been charged with four counts of sexual activity without consent. According to reports, the Sri Lankan cricketer first connected with the woman through the dating app Tinder.

Gunathilaka has been detained for 11 nights after Downing Center Local Court denied him bail on November 7. In the NSW Supreme Court, his attorneys have submitted a bail application that would have been considered on December 8th.

The subject, however, reportedly returned to the Local Court list on Thursday after defence attorney Murugan Thangaraj, SC, requested Gunathilaka’s release.

According to the police prosecutor, the applicant was given permission to submit a second application after the court accepted the evidence presented, including the revamped release conditions.

According to the reports, Gunathilaka appeared via video link from Parklea Correctional Center.

According to the media, the police claimed that there were two unacceptably high risks: that the accused would fail to attend and that he would put the complainant’s safety in jeopardy.

The police prosecutor told the court that the claimed victim had to disable her social media because she was being “harassed by unknown people with Sri Lankan names through it.”

The prosecutor also claimed, Gunathilaka would also remember the complainant’s residence.

According to Thangaraj, his client “has the support of the Sri Lankan government and Sri Lankan Cricket Association.”

He declared, “Of course, his career will be ended if he breaches his bail.”