Former professional cyclist Rohan Dennis has been sentenced over the tragic accident that resulted in the death of his wife, Olympian Melissa Hoskins, in December 2023.
Dennis, 34, had pleaded guilty to an aggravated charge of creating likelihood of harm and was arrested after his wife was struck by his vehicle near their home at Medindie, in Adelaide’s inner north. She suffered serious injuries and died in Royal Adelaide hospital.
The court previously heard the couple had argued over kitchen renovations before Dennis left their home and drove away.
Hoskins had jumped onto the car bonnet shortly before she died.
Prosecutors have said that Dennis is not being held criminally responsible for his wife’s death.
Appearing in the South Australia District Court on Wednesday, Dennis has been sentenced to one year, four months and 28 days in jail, to be suspended for two years.
The sentence was reduced from two years and two months because of his guilty plea and he’s been placed on a two-year good behaviour bond. His licence was also suspended for five years.
The offence carried a maximum sentence of seven years in jail and a five-year loss of licence, but both prosecution and defence previously agreed a suspended sentence would be appropriate in this case.
In his judgement, Judge Ian Press said to describe what happened as tragic does not do the incident justice.
“To describe the consequences of the events on 30 December 2023 as tragic 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,” the judge said, as reported by ABC News.
“I accept you have a sense of responsibility for all that occurred. I accept you have anguished over what could have been different if you had acted in some other way.
“Whilst there could be no disputing your driving, given it was captured on CCTV, I accept you cooperated with police and had told them what had happened.”
The judgement noted Dennis’ “single-mindedness” in leaving the area to de-escalate the argument “assists to explain why you acted in that way” although it does not excuse the “disregard for [his] wife’s safety as regards to the acts which form the basis of the charge”.
“It was your obligation to stop the vehicle when driving that vehicle became dangerous to her physical wellbeing,” Press said.
“That you did not stop because you wanted to leave, is a very poor reason for not doing so.”
During sentencing submissions last month, Hoskins’ mother Amanda said her daughter had loved Dennis “and I know that you would never intentionally hurt her”.
“I believe this is a tragic accident. Your temper is your downfall and needs to be addressed,” she said, per AAP.
Hoskins’ sister Jessica Locke told the court that Dennis had not apologised to the family for his actions and she had “struggled to process” his lack of empathy.
“No remorse has been shown,” she said.
Speaking outside the court on Wednesday, Hoskins’ parents, Peter and Amanda, said they were “glad” the matter had finalised, and that it had been shortened by Dennis’ guilty plea.
“It’s now time for us to move on, which would be Melissa’s expectations of us. Clearly, we want to continue to be an integral part of their children’s lives and their future,” Peter Hoskins said. “How we do this in a meaningful way, and a relevant way, will take time as we refocus on our lives going forward without Melissa.”
They also thanked well-wishers and supporters of the family during this difficult time.
“We miss Melissa terribly. She was really special,” he said.
Hoskins competed at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics on the track in the team pursuit and was in the squad that won the 2015 world title. She was laid to rest in her home city of Perth and a public memorial service was held in Adelaide in February 2024.
Dennis attended the service with their two children.
With input from AAP.
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