Danushka Gunathilaka, a Sri Lankan batsman banned from all forms of cricket for sexual assault charges, choked the woman so hard that she required a brain scan to check for injury.
Danushka was arrested for sexual assault in Sydney on Sunday. He was with the national squad for the T20 World Cup in Australia. However, due to an injury, he was unable to compete in the mega event.
According to a local media report on Wednesday, citing documents sealed without the court, the woman accused Danushka of sexually assaulting her several times in Australia, and she claimed that at one point, she choked so forcefully that she “feared for her life.”
According to police documents, “the complainant tried to remove the accused’s hand by grabbing his wrist, but the accused squeezed tighter around her neck.”
“The complainant was terrified for her life and was unable to flee the accused.”
“She repeatedly tried to pull away from the accused, a clear indication that she was not consenting,” the prosecutor said. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for January 12.
The sexual assault was reported at a property in Rose Bay earlier in the week.
“He was taken to Sydney City Police Station and charged with four counts of sexual intercourse without consent. The Sri Lankan national was refused bail to appear at Parramatta Bail Court via AVL today,” the statement further said.
He scored a duck against Namibia in the first round of the ongoing T20 World Cup.
Sri Lanka exited the tournament on Sunday after losing to England in their final group match at the Sydney Cricket Ground.