Former Sri Lanka cricketer Suranjith Silva, who works as a cricket coach in Melbourne, Australia, has been found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman by the Broadmeadows Magistrates’ Court.
Silva was a first-class cricketer and a member of the Sri Lanka A squad.
He is also the managing director of SS Sports and Tours.
Silva, a father of 02 who migrated to Australia about 10 years ago.
The incident involving the 51-year-old reportedly occurred in Sunbury on Jan. 26, 2025.
He was charged with grabbing a woman by the waist and kissing her on the neck without her consent.
Silva denied the allegations and sought a contested hearing. After considering the evidence, the court found him guilty.
In a victim impact statement read out in court, the woman said Silva’s actions had made her feel violated, uncomfortable and unsafe.
“It was a complete invasion of my personal space and was something that I did not want or consent to. It took me months before I felt comfortable to be intimate again,” she said in her statement.
Silva’s lawyer, Daniel Sala, described the offence as a “lapse of judgment”.
He also asked the court to consider the effect of a conviction on his business and his immigration status as he was a permanent resident of Australia.
However, Leading Senior Constable Sally Mannell, appearing for the police, said the victim was vulnerable and that Silva showed no remorse as he took the matter to a contested hearing where the woman had to give evidence.
Magistrate Carrie O’Shea ordered that Silva undergo an assessment for a community corrections order before sentencing on Oct. 26.