Rohan Dennis, 34, has been given a suspended sentence of one year, four months and 28 days in jail after pleading guilty to committing an aggravated act likely to cause harm
Former world champion cyclist Rohan Dennis has been handed a suspended sentence for his involvement in a car crash that caused the death of his wife. Melissa Hoskins, who was also a champion cyclist, died aged 32 on December 30, 2023 after being hit by a car outside their home in Adelaide.
Dennis, 34, had pleaded guilty to a charge of committing an aggravated act likely to cause harm. He appeared before South Australia District Court on Wednesday, where he was sentenced to one year, four months and 28 days in jail.
However, that jail time is suspended on the condition that Dennis enters into a two-year good behaviour bond. His driver’s licence has been suspended for five years.
Judge Ian Press said Dennis had disregarded his wife’s safety, but was not criminally responsible for her death. The couple, who were married in 2018 and have two children, had been arguing about kitchen renovations when Dennis got into his VW Amarok, attempting to drive away and cool down.
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Hoskins ran after him and grabbed the car door’s handle and ended up on the car’s bonnet as Dennis continued to drive for 75 metres at 12.4 miles per hour.
Judge Press described the incident as “tragic” before adding that “really does not do justice to the grief, the anguish and the turmoil those events have brought into the lives of those who knew and loved your wife”.
Accepting that Dennis had intended to de-esclate the argument by driving off, Judge Press said: “That is what you intended to do [but] your wife, however, jumped onto and lay on the bonnet of your vehicle in an apparent attempt to stop you from leaving as she wanted to continue to discuss the issue.”
He added: “What happened next does not form the basis of the charge as the prosecution accept that, unbeknownst to you, your wife held onto the car as you accelerated down the street. It was then that she fell and lost her life.”
Hoskins was taken to hospital but died of her injuries. Dennis was arrested and initially charged with dangerous driving causing death and driving without due care. He pleaded not guilty, but later admitted a lesser charge.
Speaking outside the court, Hoskins’ parents said they were “glad” the case was over and they hoped the family could now “move on”. Peter and Amanda Hoskins said they missed their daughter “terribly”. Mr Hoskins added: “She was someone really special.”
In a victim impact statement read to the court last month, Mrs Hoskins accepted that Dennis wouldn’t have intentionally hurt her daughter, but said his temper was his “downfall” and “needs to be addressed”.
Dennis won a silver medal in the team pursuit at the London 2012 Olympics and a road time trial bronze at Tokyo 2020. Hoskins also represented Australia in the team pursuit at London 2012 and Rio 2016 and was part of the squad which won the world title in 2015.