Sri Lanka Batter Danushka Gunathilaka Declared 'Not Guilty' in Tinder Date Rape Trial
District Court has found Danushka Gunathilaka not guilty [Twitter]
Sri Lankan international cricketer Danushka Gunathilaka has been found not guilty of sexual assault by a Sydney judge. The verdict comes after a trial that spanned several months and involved intense scrutiny of the evidence and the complainant's credibility.
The case revolved around allegations of sexual assault stemming from a Tinder date between Gunathilaka and the complainant, whose identity is legally protected. Judge Sarah Huggett delivered the verdict at Sydney's Downing Centre District Court, stating that the evidence presented did not establish an opportunity for the accused to have removed a condom during the sexual encounter.
"The evidence establishes that there was no opportunity for the accused to remove the protection during intercourse because that intercourse was continuous," Judge Huggett stated during her verdict.
Furthermore, Judge Huggett found that the complainant, described as an intelligent witness, did not deliberately provide false evidence but may have been motivated by a desire to portray Gunathilaka in a negative light. She noted that the evidence regarding the complaint raised doubts about its reliability, which ultimately played a significant role in the acquittal.
The events leading to the trial began when Gunathilaka and the complainant matched on the dating app Tinder in November 2022. They met for drinks at Opera Bar in Sydney before sharing pizza in the CBD and then taking a ferry to the woman's home in the eastern suburbs. The woman accused Gunathilaka of various acts of aggression, including slapping her on the buttocks, forcefully kissing her, and causing injuries to her lips. She also alleged that Gunathilaka choked her during sexual intercourse.
Initially, police brought four charges against Gunathilaka, who was arrested at the Hyatt Regency hotel just hours before the Sri Lankan cricket team was scheduled to depart Australia. However, prosecutors later dropped three of these charges, leaving him to face one count of sexual intercourse without consent relating to the controversial practice known as "stealthing."
Throughout the trial, the defence team cast doubt on the complainant's credibility by highlighting inconsistencies in her account and suggesting that she had altered her version of events to portray Gunathilaka as an aggressive individual.
Additional testimony came from two of the woman's friends, who described her as fragile and distraught the day after Gunathilaka visited her home. The proceedings also involved scrutiny of police officers' handling of the case, including the potential omission of crucial details, the disposal of notes, and concerns about witness contamination.
Following his arrest, Gunathilaka was suspended from cricket, putting his international career on hold. He has represented Sri Lanka in more than 100 matches, including eight Tests, since making his international debut in 2015. Notably, he was part of the Sri Lankan squad that travelled to Australia for the T20 World Cup; however, a hamstring injury led to his withdrawal from the tournament after playing just one match.
Throughout the trial, Gunathilaka remained on bail but could not play international cricket or return to his hometown of Colombo. The decision to grant a judge-alone trial was partly due to significant pre-trial media attention, and the proceedings were expedited by consent after it was revealed that Gunathilaka financially supported his parents with his earnings.
.jpg "Babar's Craze!")
 "Rajgeeta")
