The lawyer of a Sri Lankan asylum seeker charged with indecently assaulting a student at her university accommodation in Sydney has slammed media reports over the case, saying it could threaten his client's right to a fair trial.
Ken Robinson told SBS he's concerned of a number of "factual inaccuracies" reported about his client.
"The first and foremost relates to the actual charge itself," he said.
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"My client has been charged with an assault with an act of indecency, and in some parts of the media it has been reported as a serious sexual assault. That's just plain inaccurate," he said.
"It does in our view pose a potential for prejudice [of] our client further down the track when the matter is defended."
Mr Robinson also said he had "grave concerns" over how certain details about the alleged offences emerged on some media.
"It needs to be pointed out at the court mention earlier this week; there were no substantive issues raised or dealt with, bail was not applied for, so how allegations made their way to the media and were reported as fact is of some concern.
"My client denies the allegations, intends to defend them, as it is his right, and any prejudicial comments or comments that presuppose his guilt in the media could potentially affect his right to a fair trial and or his ability to get a fair trial."
Daxchan Selvarajah is accused of indecently assaulting a woman at a unit in Culloden Road at Macquarie University last Thursday.
Court documents say the asylum seeker entered a home at about 3.30am and put his hand down the pyjama pants of a 20-year-old female student.
