Breaking News, News, Top Story

Danushka Gunathilaka to stand trial for sexual assault

08 Jun, 2023

Feature Image

Sri Lankan cricketer Danushka Gunathilaka will stand trial accused of raping a woman while in Sydney for the T20 World Cup.

The 32-year-old faces one count of sexual intercourse without consent after the Crown withdrew three additional charges last month.

Gunathilaka has entered a not guilty plea to the remaining charge and will stand trial, the Downing Centre Local Court was told on Thursday.

Police allege the batsman met up with the 29-year-old woman at Sydney’s Opera Bar after matching with her on Tinder in November 2022.

The pair then returned to her home in Sydney’s eastern suburbs before Gunathilaka allegedly choked her and raped her without a condom.

Gunathilaka is attempting to have his bail conditions eased so that he is only required to report to police three times a week, instead of daily.

His lawyer Alen Sahinovic argued that the reduction in charges against him, as well as his lack of criminal history, merit less onerous bail conditions.

Gunathilaka had his bail varied in February to allow him to use the WhatsApp messaging service and go out at night after he was banned from using Tinder and other social media platforms when originally granted bail in November 2022. (Courtesy The West Australian)

Recommended For You

Feature Image

Health Ministry clarifies guests at weddings limited to 100

The Health Ministry today clarified that guests at weddings must be limited to 100 or 40 percent of the size of the reception hall. The Ministry of Health said that its best to have as less guests as possible at weddings as a result of the threat of the coronavirus. In a clarification to guidelines issued earlier, the Health Ministry said that in the event a guest at a wedding is found to have contracted the coronavirus, it would be easier to provide medical attention and quarantine a small nu

25 May, 2020

Feature Image

Flight scheduled to bring back Sri Lankans stranded in Qatar cancelled

A flight scheduled to bring back Sri Lankans stranded in Qatar has been cancelled, the Foreign Ministry said today. Foreign Secretary?Ravinatha Aryasinha said that in consultation with the Minister of Foreign Relations Dinesh Gunawardena, he has instructed Sri Lanka?s Acting Ambassador in Qatar, as an interim measure, to immediately find accommodation for those stranded, following the cancellation of the Sri Lankan Airlines flight from Qatar, which was scheduled for today. (Colombo Gazette)

25 May, 2020

Feature Image

PM says Sri Lankans have the option to pull together or perish

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa says the coronavirus pandemic has left all Sri Lankans with only one option ? building Sri Lanka. He says the choice is stark – pull together or perish. In a statement today the Prime Minister said that in this new global environment, even the option of going overseas in search of greener pastures will be very limited because all countries will be facing economic hardship and mass unemployment. “On 16 November 2019, President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa inherited an ec

24 May, 2020