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News.com.au
17-05-2025
- News.com.au
The story of Rohan Dennis and the tragic death of Melissa Hoskins
It's a tragedy that shocked Australian sport and has left families shattered by grief. On a Saturday night in the leafy Adelaide suburb of Medindie, Olympic cyclist Melissa Hoskins lay on a street with critical injuries, as neighbours and her husband Rohan Dennis desperately called for help. The beloved mother-of-two had tripped and fallen under the family's Volkswagen Amarok, as fellow Olympian Dennis was behind the wheel and driving away. Ms Hoskins suffered critical injuries and later died at Royal Adelaide Hospital. This week, Dennis received a suspended jail sentence for his actions leading up to that tragic moment, bringing to a close a dramatic 18-month court case. This is the full story from the beginning to the end. December 30, 2023 – 7.45pm A trivial domestic dispute about kitchen renovations was the catalyst for the tragedy. The final blow-up happened about 7.45pm as Dennis was washing the dishes after dinner. 'We were having an argument about, it was quite early on today, about the renovation that we've had in our house,' Dennis told police in the hours immediately after Ms Hoskins' death. 'It's three years ago now, and we're not really happy with some of the stuff and I couldn't quite let it go. 'And then once the kids were down, had dinner, so the tensions boiled over again and we were yelling at each other, and I was like, 'I'm out', as in like, I'm just gonna leave the house.' There was no physical violence in the argument. 'I thought it's just easier, I'll grab the car and … f--king just go,' Mr Dennis said. '(For) 10, 20 minutes. Come back.' Dennis left to try and get away from the exchange, taking the family's Volkswagen Amarok from the garage and driving off into the night. Mere seconds to tragedy But Ms Hoskins did not want him to leave and jumped onto the bonnet of the car as Dennis drove down Medindie Lane, behind their home, going at about 20km/h. When Dennis pulled into Avenel Gardens Road, Ms Hoskins dismounted the bonnet and grabbed at the driver's side door. As Dennis accelerated away from the intersection, Ms Hoskins held onto the driver's side door handle, the prosecution's factual summary – tendered to the court and seen by NewsWire – states. She tripped and was dragged under the vehicle as Dennis drove off. When Dennis heard a 'thump', he stopped the car and ran to help her. The incident happened within seconds. CCTV footage recorded Ms Hoskins on the bonnet of the car for about six seconds. The time between Ms Hoskins dismounting the vehicle and Dennis closing the driver's side door and accelerating away from her was three seconds, the factual summary states, and the time between Dennis closing the door and Ms Hoskins falling under the wheel only two seconds. Nightmare unfolds on quiet street Dennis said his wife was still alive and struggling to breathe in the aftermath of the accident. 'I rolled her onto her side 'cos she seemed to be choking on something and I thought it might have been blood, and it was,' Dennis said. 'And then they gave – the neighbours they just gave me sort of a, a rug to sort of hold her head. 'I was holding that to try and stop any sort of bleeding. And just talking to her the whole time to try keep her awake.' Dennis told investigators Ms Hoskins was unable to speak and could only nod. 'She was just moaning, like grunting with the pain, and I was saying, 'Can you feel your legs, are you OK' and just make sure she's … like 'just nod', you know,' he said. 'And she was nodding as a yes … so I was thinking … like I knew she'd hit her head but she's probably, really when I pulled her it felt like she potentially broke some ribs or something, and like … this was bloody hoping it's the worst thing. 'And that's why the blood was coming up but … that's why I was thinking maybe that's why she was struggling to talk.' South Australian Police arrested Dennis that weekend and charged him with causing death by dangerous driving. Tale of two champions Dennis is a three-time Olympian and a Commonwealth Games gold medallist. He first achieved fame at the 2012 London Olympics, nabbing a silver medal in the 4000m team pursuit on the cycling track. At the Rio Games in 2016, he finished in fifth place in the individual time trial, but perhaps his crowning achievement is his bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics on July 28, 2021. In memorable scenes at the Fuji International Speedway, he clinched the medal with a time of 56:08.09. In 2017, he became engaged to Ms Hoskins, a fellow Olympian. Ms Hoskins competed in the London and Rio Olympics in track cycling. She only just missed out on a medal in London, finishing in fourth spot for the 3000m Team Pursuit category. In Rio, she finished in fifth position for the 4000m Team Pursuit. In 2018, the pair married, and would settle into an elegant home in the inner-north Medindie suburb with their two children. February 24, 2024 – Remembering Melissa Hundreds of mourners gathered to farewell Ms Hoskins at a public service in Adelaide on February 24. The memorial was held on what would have been her 33rd birthday. Dennis attended the memorial with his children, but did not speak during the service. He was photographed hugging guests before the ceremony started. March 13, 2024 – First court appearance Dennis fronted court for the first time on March 13 last year. Dressed in a dark navy blue suit, he was met by a scrum of reporters outside Adelaide Magistrates Court. He declined to say anything as he entered and left the court, standing silently in the dock throughout proceedings before Magistrate Simon Smart. The prosecution asked for seven months to determine the final charges against the Olympian, arguing they needed six months for the major crash reconstruction report to be completed and then another four weeks for the Director of Public Prosecutions to determine charges. Leaving the court, Dennis moved quickly through the scrum and into a black car. August 6, 2024 – Charge determination At a charge determination hearing later that year, prosecutors confirmed the police would proceed with charges of causing death by dangerous driving and driving without due care. The charges hold a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. December 10, 2024 – Shock guilty plea In a shock development, the original charges are dropped and replaced with a single new charge of an aggravated act creating the likelihood of harm. Dennis pleads guilty to the new charge. He admits to driving a motor vehicle without lawful excuse when Ms Hoskins was on or in close proximity to the vehicle, knowing that act was likely to cause harm to another and being recklessly indifferent to whether such harm was caused. The clean-cut medallist, dressed in a sharp suit, stood quietly in the dock before magistrate Justin Wickens and said 'guilty' as the charge was read out to him. The maximum penalty for the offence is seven years in jail. Jane Abbey KC, appearing for Dennis, told the court her client was not being held responsible for Ms Hoskins' death. 'There was no intention of Dennis to harm his wife and this charge does not charge him with responsibility for her death,' she said. His case is referred to the higher District Court for sentencing. April 14, 2025 – A Family's Anguish Ms Hoskins' parents Peter and Amanda and her sister Jessica confronted Dennis with their pain and grief in an emotional court hearing more than a year after her death. Peter broke down when he spoke about the impact the event would have on his grandchildren, who he called the family's 'silent grievers'. 'The silent grievers are too young to realise the present and future impact of their mother's loss on their lives,' he said. He said when the police delivered the news of his daughter's death, he was unable to process the devastating development and was overwhelmed with 'disbelief, anger and confusion'. Jessica said she continued to have nightmares about the event and would sometimes wake up in the night and see the faces of the policemen who had broken the terrible news to her. 'It's not something that will ever pass,' she said. 'I will live with this every single day while I'm alive.' She also said the family had not received an apology from Dennis for his actions. 'No remorse has been shown,' she said. Peter said an 'apology and some sort of explanation' from Dennis would help his family with their grieving process. Ms Hoskins' mother Amanda said she believed the event was a 'tragic accident'. 'I know that you would never intentionally hurt her,' she said. 'Emotions would run hot' Ms Abbey, speaking for Dennis, said the argument that sparked the collapse was the 'sort of thing that husbands and wives disagree about all the time'. She said 'emotions would run hot' between the pair a couple of times a year and that they had an agreed strategy in place, in which Dennis would leave the home and spend some time alone to allow both of them to calm down before returning to settle the dispute. She added Dennis was in love with Ms Hoskins at the time of her death. 'He loved her as his best friend, as his partner and as the mother to his children,' she said. May 14, 2025 – The Sentence Dennis avoided jail for his actions. Judge Ian Press sentenced Dennis to 16 months' jail, but suspended the sentence, and placed him on a two-year good behaviour bond. The Olympian's licence was also disqualified for five years. Judge Press stressed Dennis was not being held responsible for Ms Hoskins' death, but for his actions leading up to the tragic event. 'To describe the consequences of the events of December 30, 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 Melissa,' he said. '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 … you are not charged with being criminally responsible for all of the events of that night and in particular you are not charged with causing the death of your wife.' Dennis was punished for continuing to drive while Ms Hoskins was on the bonnet, which Judge Press slammed as 'an inherently risky and dangerous act', and for the act of accelerating at the intersection to get away from Ms Hoskins. Judge Press said he suspended the sentence due to Dennis' guilty plea, his remorse, his personal circumstances and the circumstances of the offending, and his role as the sole carer of his children. What happens now? It is unclear what Dennis intends to do now. He has never spoken publicly about the case and has not indicated any wish to do so. But he is prohibited from driving, which means he will need help from close friends and family to help him move his children around Adelaide as they go to school and grow up. Ms Hoskins' family, meanwhile, have indicated a clear wish to be present in Dennis' life and to love and support their grandchildren in any way they can. In a courageous and stoic statement outside court after the sentence, Peter and Amanda said their family would now try to 'move on' from the horrific incident. 'It's now time for us to move on, which would be Melissa's expectations of us,' Peter said. 'Clearly we want to continue to be an integral part of their children's lives and their future. 'How we do this in a meaningful way and relevant way will take time. 'With respect to Rohan, as hard as it is going to be, it is important that we also have a well-mannered relationship with him. '(Our grandchildren) deserve this, they have done nothing wrong. We would like to thank everybody for their support of us.' Peter said the family had not sought prison time for Dennis. 'We've got to remember there are two people caught up in this tragedy, and there are young children caught up in this tragedy, who have lost their mum,' he said. 'For them to go and lose their dad, albeit a temporary loss, I don't think that would be ideal at all. 'From the outset, it wasn't something that we were pursuing. The health and wellbeing of (our grandchildren) have been front of mind for us right from the word go. That remains the case.' The heart-wrenching grief the tragedy has opened up will stay in place. 'We miss Melissa terribly,' Peter said, his voice breaking.
News.com.au
16-05-2025
- News.com.au
‘I'm so sorry': Rohan Dennis pens apology letter to late wife Melissa Hoskins
A letter of apology penned by Rohan Dennis to his late wife Melissa Hoskins has emerged after Dennis was avoided jail for his role in the car crash that tragically killed her. On Wednesday, Dennis was sentenced to one-year-and-four-months' jail, to be wholly suspended, and was placed on a two-year good behaviour bond. His licence was disqualified for five years. Dennis' suspended sentence means he will return home and continue to care for their two children, and brings to a close a dramatic 18-month legal process. A blow-up over a kitchen renovation sparked the tragedy, with Dennis and Ms Hoskins arguing over costs at their leafy Medindie home in Adelaide's inner-north. Dennis left to get away from the exchange and took the family's Volkswagen Amarok from the garage, driving off into the night. But Ms Hoskins did not want him to leave and in tragic scenes, she jumped onto the bonnet of the car as Dennis drove down Medindie Lane, behind their home, going at about 20km/hr. When Dennis pulled into Avenel Gardens Road, Ms Hoskins dismounted the bonnet and grabbed at the driver's side door. Now in a letter released by Judge Ian Press and obtained by 7News, Dennis apologised to Hoskins and promised to take care of their two children. Rohan Dennis' full letter to Melissa Hoskins 'Dear Mel. Thank you for everything, for the children, for life and for the memories you left us with. These will last forever. 'You may be physically gone but you will forever be with the kids and I. Not just in the pictures throughout the house, but in our hearts and our thoughts. 'You are irreplaceable as a mother to Oliver and Madeleine, but I will always raise them in the same way as if you were still here by my side. 'Physically you aren't here, but I notice little things that help guide me when I'm lost that I know you have played a part in. 'The kids are happy, so damn smart and cheeky, all in one. I know how proud you would be of them both and I'll forever tell them that, even when they're just in bed hugging their bunnies. 'I'm so sorry for what happened. I'm so sorry the children don't have you. I'm sorry our families don't have you post op, as I said to your mum just after this happened. 'Not a second goes by in the day where I don't wish it was me instead and the only thing that I'm OK with is that I'm the one suffering in this situation, and it's not you. I don't think I have to say this because it's so obvious. 'Everyone misses you so much, but everyone has stepped up to help to fill the void of you not being here as best they can. 'We really did create the best village for our family over the years we spent together. 'You will forever be the glue that holds us together. 'I will always live my life with a piece of my heart missing. 'It is, and always will be yours, no matter what. I love you. Rohan.' Hoskins' parents: 'It's time to move on' Ms Hoskins' parents Peter and Amanda said their family would now try to 'move on' from the horrific incident that rocked Australian sport, with the welfare of the couple's two young children 'front of mind'. 'It's now time for us to move on, which would be Melissa's expectations of us,' Peter said. 'Clearly we want to continue to be an integral part of their children's lives and their future. 'How we do this in a meaningful way and relevant way will take time. 'With respect to Rohan, as hard as it is going to be, it is important that we also have a well-mannered relationship with him. '(Our grandchildren) deserve this, they have done nothing wrong. We would like to thank everybody for their support of us.' Dennis has avoided spending any time behind bars for driving recklessly before the death of Ms Hoskins. Judge Press stressed Dennis was not being held responsible for Ms Hoskins' death, but for his actions leading up to the tragic event. 'To describe the consequences of the events of December 30, 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 Melissa,' Judge Press said. '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 … you are not charged with being criminally responsible for all of the events of that night and in particular you are not charged with causing the death of your wife.' Peter said the family had not sought prison time for Dennis. 'We've got to remember there are two people caught up in this tragedy, and there are young children caught up in this tragedy, who have lost their mum,' he said. 'For them to go and lose their dad, albeit a temporary loss, I don't think that would be ideal at all. 'From the outset, it wasn't something that we were pursuing. The health and wellbeing of (our grandchildren) have been front of mind for us right from the word go. That remains the case.' Dennis' suspended sentence means he will return home and continue to care the two children, and brings to a close a dramatic 18-month legal process. A blow-up over a kitchen renovation sparked the tragedy, with Dennis and Ms Hoskins arguing over costs at their leafy Medindie home in Adelaide's inner-north. Dennis left to get away from the exchange and took the family's Volkswagen Amarok from the garage, driving off into the night. But Ms Hoskins did not want him to leave and in tragic scenes, she jumped onto the bonnet of the car as Dennis drove down Medindie Lane, behind their home, going at about 20km/hr. When Dennis pulled into Avenel Gardens Road, Ms Hoskins dismounted the bonnet and grabbed at the driver's side door. As Dennis accelerated away from the intersection, Ms Hoskins held onto the driver's side door handle, the prosecution's factual summary, tendered to the court and seen by NewsWire, states. She tripped and was dragged under the vehicle as Dennis drove down Avenel Gardens Road. When Dennis heard a 'thump', he stopped the car and ran to help her. Ms Hoskins suffered critical injuries and later died at Royal Adelaide Hospital. The breakdown happened in seconds. CCTV footage recorded Ms Hoskins on the bonnet of the car for about six seconds. The time between Ms Hoskins dismounting the vehicle and Dennis closing the driver's side door and accelerating away from her was three seconds, the factual summary states, and the time between Dennis closing the door and Ms Hoskins falling under the wheel was about two seconds. Dennis was punished for continuing to drive while Ms Hoskins was on the bonnet, which Judge Press slammed as 'an inherently risky and dangerous act', and for the act of accelerating at the intersection to get away from Ms Hoskins. Judge Press said he had suspended the sentence due to Dennis' guilty plea, his remorse, his personal circumstances and the circumstances of the offending, and his role as the sole carer of his children. Dennis, 34, has no prior criminal history. In a police interview, recorded just hours after the crash, Dennis said his wife was still alive and struggling to breathe in the aftermath of the accident. Ms Hoskins' death sent shockwaves through Australia's sporting community. She competed in the London and Rio Olympics in track cycling, only just missing out on a medal in London after finishing fourth in the 3000m team pursuit category. In Rio, she finished fifth in the 4000m team pursuit. Dennis won a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics in the cycling road race.
ABC News
15-05-2025
- ABC News
How the case against Rohan Dennis unfolded after the 'tragic' death of wife Melissa Hoskins
Almost 18 months have passed since 32-year-old Melissa Hoskins was fatally struck by a car, driven by her husband, in Adelaide's inner north. As news broke of the Olympian's death, questions were raised, with many members of the public theorising about how such an incident could unfold. It's a tragedy that not only shocked the state — but the world's pro-cycling community. After a few court hearings and adjournments, a plea deal was reached, and Ms Hoskins's husband Rohan Dennis pleaded guilty to an aggravated act likely to cause harm. He was initially facing the more serious charge of causing death by dangerous driving, but that charge was dropped in lieu of his plea. On Wednesday, as District Court Judge Ian Press sentenced Dennis, he aptly detailed the events of December 30, 2023, saying that describing the incident, which unfolded on the streets of Medindie in Adelaide's inner north, as tragic "really does not do justice to the grief, the anguish and the turmoil" which followed. "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," he said. "It is however important at the outset of these remarks to acknowledge that you are not charged with being criminally responsible for all of the events of that night, and in particular, you are not charged with causing the death of your wife." He said because Dennis was not charged with causing her death, he could not be sentenced for it. Judge Press suspended a 17-month prison term and imposed a two-year good-behaviour bond. As is often the case in the legal process, Ms Hoskins's family had their first chance to tell the court about the effects of the incident through victim impact statements, detailing their immeasurable grief. Her mother, Amanda Hoskins, told the court in April that while she accepts her daughter's death was "a tragic accident and an accident that should have never happened", she condemned Dennis's temper, labelling it his "downfall". "She didn't deserve this, for all the good she did. She always put her family first," she said. "Her death is so unfair and tragic." Ms Hoskins's sister, Jessica Locke, told the court last month neither she, nor her family or friends, had received an apology from Dennis. "No remorse has been shown, if anything Rohan's actions since that night, appear to suggest that he perceives himself as a victim of the situation," she said. After the sentence was handed down on Wednesday, Ms Hoskins's father Peter Hoskins said the family still had not received an apology, but expected one would come. "I'm sure that will come with time, I think it's difficult for everybody," Mr Hoskins said. He said the family now hoped to foster a "well-mannered" relationship with Dennis and would keep the wellbeing of their daughter's children front of mind. He spoke through tears, as he described the time since his daughter's death as "difficult". "We miss Melissa terribly. She was someone really special," he said. The details of what led to Ms Hoskins death were first revealed in court at a pre-sentence hearing last month, which Judge Press summarised as he sentenced Dennis. He said the pair had argued about home renovations, and that the pair had previously had an arrangement that Dennis would leave so the duo could calm down during an argument. Judge Press said Dennis began driving away but Ms Hoskins "jumped onto and then lay on the bonnet" of his car. "You continued to drive down the lane, albeit slowly, for about 75 metres, which took between about six and 10 seconds," he said. "It is not possible to be precise, but it appears you were driving at about or just less than 20 kph. He said Dennis slowed down and Ms Hoskins got off the bonnet and continued walking next to the car, before opening the door while the car was still moving. Judge Press said Dennis shut the door before accelerating the car in "what appears to be an attempt to drive away from her", and that "unbeknownst" to Dennis, Ms Hoskins had "held onto the car" as he briefly accelerated and she fell from the vehicle. "There is no allegation that you knew, or even contemplated, the likelihood that your wife was still running next to the car as you continued to drive down the street for only a matter of a second or two," he said. Judge Press said the incident was captured on CCTV, which has not been released to the public, showing him to immediately stop the car and attend to his wife. "Whilst there could be no disputing your driving given it was captured on CCTV, I accept you cooperated with police and told them what had happened," he said. "What you told police is effectively the basis upon which you are now to be sentenced." It was Ms Hoskins's cycling career that led her to meet Dennis, also a cycling dynamo, and the pair went on to marry at Margaret River, south of Perth, in 2018. The 32-year-old had been a world champion cyclist, who represented Australia at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics and claimed gold in the women's team pursuit at the 2015 world championships. AusCycling chief executive officer Marne Fechner said that in the short time before Ms Hoskins retired at age 25, "she had shown the world that she was an athlete of rare prowess". After news of her death broke, Ms Fechner praised Ms Hoskins for her "elite endurance on the track" and "podium finishes in both team and individual events nationally and internationally". "Melissa described her team Pursuit Gold Medal at the 2015 UCI Track Cycling World Championships as the highlight of her career, but for the rest of us, the highlight was just having her around." Dennis was also prominent in the cycling world being a two-time world champion and stage winner in the 2015 Tour de France. He also won medals at both the 2012 and 2020 Olympics, as well as six world championship golds across both track and road riding — and in 2015 he was the overall winner of the 2015 Tour Down Under. Dennis retired from professional cycling at the end of 2023. He is now banned from driving for five years and must adhere to the terms of his two-year good behaviour bond, which includes 18-months of supervision by a Correctional Services Officer, as he navigates life as a sole parent to two children under eight years of age.
News.com.au
14-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
‘Not a happy person': Rohan Dennis spoke of mental health issues years before Melissa Hoskins death
Former Olympic cyclist Rohan Dennis spoke of his mental health struggles and fears his marriage would be ruined by the high-pressure Tour de France environment, years before a reckless driving incident and the death of Melissa Hoskins. Dennis was handed a suspended sentence by the South Australian District Court on Wednesday for his actions leading up to the December 30, 2023 death of his wife and fellow Olympic cyclist near their home in the affluent Adelaide suburb of Medindie. Mental health was not a factor considered by the court. Days before the tragedy that rocked Australian sport, cycling's golden couple had shared a seemingly happy Christmas message 'from our family to yours' — but hints of cracks beneath the surface had been present for years. Speaking to media in Adelaide in 2020, Dennis revealed that mental health struggles and 'personal family reasons' had sparked his controversial walkout of the Tour de France the prior year. Dennis said he feared his marriage would be ruined by his spiralling mental health, which he blamed on unhappiness with the team environment at Bahrain-Merida at the time. 'It was for personal family reasons between the person I was becoming due to the situations I was put under, or the environment that I was in, that was causing me to be, let's just say, not a good or a happy person to be around,' he said. 'That environment was [the] team environment. It was snowballing, it was getting worse and in the end I didn't want to be a statistic of a sportsperson who was potentially going to be divorced.' Dennis was dumped by Bahrain-Merida for abandoning the 2019 Tour de France after stage 12 without explanation, but insisted he had no regrets. 'I think I would have been kicking myself if I hadn't,' he said. 'I didn't do it for personal reasons. I honestly believe that if I'd continued and finished the stage, it would have been even worse because it would have looked even more planned, that I was going to exit just to annoy the team. Whereas me exiting the Tour de France was for the benefit of my family.' He said that it was 'quite an understatement' to say his mental health had deteriorated in the preceding season, leading Hoskins to start a 'frank' conversation about how he was handling work. 'I didn't realise how bad I was,' he said. 'I heard some stuff from my wife about my psych — that he had plans to take further actions, for my benefit and my mental health benefit — which I didn't actually know about until I reckon two or three weeks ago. When you're in it you're obviously not happy but you don't realise how bad you actually are most of the time.' Dennis said he was 'happy' after exiting Bahrain-Merida and signing with British squad Ineos for the 2020 season. 'I'm happy to be in a good place,' he said. 'People around me are noticing that I'm in a much better place mentally and that's the main thing. Family, friends have really noticed the change since December so it's been a very positive move and I'm really keen to keep it going that way as well.' But as Covid lockdowns disrupted the world that year, social media posts by Dennis raised concerns among followers. 'Day 33 — cracked and left the house #covid19 can suck my a** and so can #quarantine,' he wrote in an Instagram post from his car in Girona, Spain. In response to one fan suggesting he could 'just go [for] a drive and not post it on social media' to avoid the backlash, Dennis fired back, 'Or I could show the reality of how s**t the situation is and not be one of your beloved drones who show their 'perfect world' as an elite athlete. Which would you like. Real or fake?' Dennis retired from professional cycling in 2023, and after years of living between Europe and Australia, the couple were looking forward to a new beginning in the Adelaide Hills with their young family. That all changed on December 30, 2023, when a blow-up over kitchen renovation costs saw Dennis leave the house, driving off into the night in the family's Volkswagen Amarok. Hoskins did not want him to leave and in tragic scenes, she jumped onto the bonnet of the car as Dennis drove down Medindie Lane, behind their home, going at about 20km/hr. When Dennis pulled into Avenel Gardens Road, Hoskins dismounted the bonnet and grabbed at the driver's side door. As Dennis accelerated away from the intersection, Hoskins held onto the driver's side door handle. She tripped and was dragged under the vehicle as Dennis drove down Avenel Gardens Road. When Dennis heard a 'thump', he stopped the car and ran to help her. Hoskins suffered critical injuries and later died at Royal Adelaide Hospital. The breakdown happened in seconds. CCTV footage recorded Hoskins on the bonnet of the car for about six seconds. The time between Hoskins dismounting the vehicle and Dennis closing the driver's side door and accelerating away from her was three seconds, the factual summary states, and the time between Dennis closing the door and Hoskins falling under the wheel was about two seconds. In a police interview, recorded just hours after the crash, Dennis said his wife was still alive and struggling to breathe in the aftermath of the accident. 'I rolled her onto her side 'cos she seemed to be choking on something and I thought it might have been blood, and it was,' Dennis said. 'And then they gave — the neighbours they just gave me sort of a, a rug to sort of hold her head. I was holding that to try and stop any sort of bleeding. And just talking to her the whole time to try keep her awake.' Hoskins' death sent shockwaves through Australia's sporting community. She competed in the London and Rio Olympics in track cycling, only just missing out on a medal in London after finishing fourth in the 3000m team pursuit category. In Rio, she finished fifth in the 4000m team pursuit. Dennis snatched a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics. In April, Hoskins' family confronted Dennis in court as he sat in the dock, relaying their pain and grief in an emotional hearing. Hoskins' father Peter broke down when he spoke about the impact the tragic event would have on the couple's two children, who he called the family's 'silent grievers'. 'The silent grievers too young to realise the present and future impact of their mother's loss on their lives,' he said. Sister Jessica said the family had not received an apology from Dennis for his actions. 'No remorse has been shown,' she said. Peter said an 'apology and some sort of explanation' from Dennis would help his family with their grieving process. Hoskins' mother Amanda said she believed the event was a 'tragic accident'. 'I know that you would never intentionally hurt her,' she said. Jane Abbey KC, for Dennis, said her client was 'in love' with Hoskins at the time of her death. 'He loved her as his best friend, as his partner and as the mother to his children,' she said. Dennis has admitted to driving a motor vehicle without lawful excuse while Hoskins was on or in proximity to the vehicle, knowing that act was likely to cause harm to another and being recklessly indifferent to whether such harm was caused. On Wednesday, Judge Ian Press sentenced Dennis to one-year-and-four-months' jail, to be wholly suspended, with a two-year good behaviour bond. His licence was disqualified for five years. Judge Press stressed Dennis was not being held responsible for Hoskins' death, but for his actions leading up to it. His suspended sentence means he will return home and continue to care for the children. 'To describe the consequences of the events of December 30, 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 Melissa,' Judge Press said. '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 … you are not charged with being criminally responsible for all of the events of that night and in particular you are not charged with causing the death of your wife.'
CBS News
14-05-2025
- CBS News
Former world champion cyclist Rohan Dennis avoids jail over death of wife, fellow Olympian Melissa Hoskins
Former Olympic cyclist and world champion Rohan Dennis received a suspended sentence on Wednesday over what was termed a "tragic accident" that led to the death of his wife, fellow Olympian Melissa Hoskins. The 34-year-old Dennis appeared in South Australia District Court after earlier pleading guilty to a charge of committing an aggravated act likely to cause harm. Dennis was arrested after Hoskins, 32, was struck by his vehicle in front of their home at Medindie in Adelaide's north on Dec. 30, 2023. Hoskins suffered serious injuries in the crash and died at Royal Adelaide Hospital. The court was told that the couple had argued over kitchen renovations before Dennis left their home and drove away. The court also heard that Hoskins had jumped onto the hood of the car during the incident. Melissa Hoskins Australian Olympic Committee Dennis on Wednesday was 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 behavior bond. His license was also suspended for five years. "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," Judge Ian Press said Wednesday. Dennis showed little emotion when Press sentenced him. "Given your plea of guilty, your remorse, that you are the sole carer for your young children, and given all your other personal circumstances and the circumstances of the offending, I am satisfied that good reason exists to suspend that sentence," the judge said. The offense carried a maximum sentence of seven years in jail but lawyer Jane Abbey asked that her client receive a suspended sentence, which was not opposed by the prosecution. During sentencing submissions in in April, Amanda Hoskins 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. Hoskins' parents spoke outside the court after sentencing on Wednesday, saying they were "glad" the case was over and they hoped the family could "move on," the BBC reported. Gold medal winner Rohan Dennis of Australia poses with his medal after the men's cycling individual time trials at the Commonwealth Games in West Park, Wolverhampton, England, on Aug. 4, 2022. Rui Vieira / AP Hoskins' father said the family was yet to receive an apology from Dennis, but expected it "will come with time," the BBC reported. He said it was important for the couple to have a "well-mannered relationship" with Dennis going forward. Hoskins and Dennis have two children, the BBC reported. "There are two young children caught up in this tragedy... Clearly, we want to continue to be an integral part of [the] children's lives and their future," Hoskins' father said. Hoskins' funeral was held in her home city of Perth, Western Australia and a public memorial service was held in Adelaide in February 2024. Dennis attended the service with their two children. 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. At the 2016 Games, she was hospitalized after being involved in a high-speed crash at the Olympic Velodrome during training, Australian public broadcaster ABC reported. Dennis won two world titles in the road time trial, as well as silver in the team pursuit at the 2012 Olympics and bronze in the road time trial at the Tokyo Olympics.
