Uvindu Pansuja Samarasi Jayasekara sentenced in Townsville Magistrates Court for violent attack on girlfriend

A man waited for his peers to leave the room before he cornered his girlfriend, punched her repeatedly and then took a selfie as she bled and cried. Read the shocking details.

Uvindu Pansuja Samarasi Jayasekara was sentenced in Townsville Magistrates Court for punching a woman he was in a relationship with. He is currently a James Cook University Medical student.

A James Cook University medical student waited for his peers to leave the room during a student ball before cornering his girlfriend and punching her repeatedly in the face.

Uvindu Pansuja Samarasi Jayasekara spent his 25th birthday in Townsville Magistrates Court on Tuesday after he violently lashed out at his partner of two years, and then took a selfie with her as she bled and cried.

Police prosecutor Lescha Lawson told the court Jayasekara began dating the woman, another JCU medical student, in 2021.

In September that year, the couple attended a medical ball on Flinders Street.

When the woman became upset that he was talking to a friend instead of paying attention to her, Jayasekara turned aggressive.

Jayasekara leaving Townsville Court House on Tuesday

“ (Jayasekara) became angry that the victim had interrupted him and told her that she had ruined his night,” Ms Lawson said.’

The court heard the venue was split into two connected rooms and when the rest of the party moved into one half for speeches, Jayasekara pushed the woman, who was 21 at the time, into an empty corner.

“(He) constantly pinched the victim on multiple spots of her body, along her arms, her belly and grabbed her fiercely by her other arm …(his) nails broke the skin of the victim’s left forearm causing her to bleed,” Ms Lawson said.

Then he punched her in the face.

“The victim fell to her knees and (Jayasekara) sat down and then punched the victim in her jaw again using an uppercut strike,” Ms Lawson said.

Bleeding heavily from the mouth, the woman cried and begged him to stop hurting her.

Ms Lawson said other guests began returning to the room so Jayasekara grabbed her phone and took a selfie with her in that state.

The woman went to the bathroom to clean herself up and when she returned Jayasekara told her to go home because “he didn’t want people to see that she was injured” Ms Lawson said.

When she got back to her room on the JCU campus, she showed her friends her injuries and they took photos which were eventually shown to police.

Ms Lawson read part of the victim’s impact statement aloud in court which outlined the long-lasting effects the traumatic incident had had on her personal life and mental health.

Jayasekara is currently a medical student at James Cook University and was attending a student medical ball when he attacked his girlfriend

“I know that there is a great chance that I may work with him even after university,” she said.

“I will never feel safe working with or near him.”

Jayasekara’s lawyer, appearing by phone, said his client was in his final year of medical school and expected to graduate in December.

He asked Magistrate Ken Taylor not to record a conviction, citing concerns about Jayasekara’s eligibility to obtain a blue card, which was required to work with children.

Jayasekara was supported in court by his fiance and five character references were handed up to Magistrate Ken Taylor including one from JCU Associate Professor Smith.

While noting Jayasekara had no prior criminal history, Magistrate Taylor said the circumstances of the assault were deeply troubling.

Jayasekara pleaded guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm – domestic violence offence.

He was sentenced to two years probation and was ordered to pay $500 in compensation to the victim.

No convictions were recorded.

Originally published as Uvindu Pansuja Samarasi Jayasekara sentenced in Townsville Magistrates Court for violent attack on girlfriend