Olympics star Rohan Dennis learns his fate after his wife Melissa Hoskins died when she was hit by ute he was driving outside their home

Aussie Olympic cyclist Rohan Dennis has walked free from court after receiving a suspended jail sentence following the ‘inherently risky and dangerous act’ that resulted in his wife’s death when she was hit by the car he was driving.

Dennis, 34, had pleaded guilty to a charge of committing an aggravated act likely to cause harm and was sentenced to one year, four months and 28 days in jail, wholly suspended, which allows him to care for the couple’s two children.

He has also been given a two-year good behaviour bond and banned from driving for five years over the tragedy, which was captured on CCTV. 

Hoskins’ parents Peter and Amanda broke down outside court as they said they will try to have a ‘well-mannered relationship’ with Dennis for the sake of their grandchildren, who have ‘done nothing wrong’. 

‘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,’ Judge Ian Press told the court on Wednesday.

Press also said Dennis had cooperated with police, but ‘it was your obligation to stop the vehicle when driving that vehicle became dangerous to her physical wellbeing’. 

Rohan Dennis has avoided jail over his involvement in the tragic death of his wife and fellow cycling star Melissa Hoskins (pictured together)

Hoskins was struck by a ute driven by Dennis (pictured together on their wedding day) outside their Adelaide home on December 30, 2023 and died a short time later in hospital

A stony-faced Dennis refused to comment after sentencing as he was asked if he wanted to apologise. 

Hoskins’ father Peter and mother Amanda made an emotional statement outside the court after the sentence was passed. 

‘We’re glad the trial is over, and shortened considerably by Rohan’s guilty plea,’ Peter Hoskins said through tears.

‘It is 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.

‘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.

‘With respect to Rohan, as hard as it’s going to be, it’s important that we also have a well-mannered relationship with him. 

‘Oliver and Madeleine [the couple’s children] deserve this. They have done nothing wrong … we miss Melissa terribly. She was someone really special.’  

Melissa Hoskins’ father Peter and mother Amanda (pictured outside court) broke down as they told reporters they want to have an ongoing relationship with Dennis for the sake of their innocent grandchildren

Melissa Hoskins is pictured second from right during the Track World Championships in 2013

Dennis was arrested after his wife Melissa Hoskins was struck by his Volkswagen ute near their home at Medindie, in Adelaide’s inner north, on December 30, 2023.

Ms Hoskins suffered serious injuries and died in Royal Adelaide Hospital.

The court was told that the couple had argued over kitchen renovations before Dennis left their home and drove away. Ms Hoskins had jumped onto the car bonnet shortly before she died.

Judge Press noted that Dennis is not being held criminally responsible for his wife’s death.

The offence carried a maximum sentence of seven years in jail and a five-year loss of driver’s licence, but in April, barrister Jane Abbey KC asked that her client receive a suspended sentence, which was not opposed by the prosecution.

Peter Hoskins added that the couple were grateful to have been living in Perth during the aftermath of their daughter’s death so they could stay out of the spotlight.

Asked how their grandchildren have been dealing with the tragedy and its aftermath, he replied, ‘I guess as best they can. 

‘They’re young, they move on. I think it’s important that we move on as well.’

Amanda Hoskins added, ‘They’re good, they’re happy.’

Mr Hoskins said of their capacity to forgive Dennis, ‘No, it will take time, continue to take time to process. 

Hoskins’ mother Amanda revealed Dennis had not apologised to the family and told a court ‘no remorse has been shown’

Dennis (pictured with Hoskins) revealed graphic details of the tragedy in a police interview

‘We’ll need to refocus on going forward and at some stage, as difficult as it’s going to be, there needs to be a well-mannered relationship with Rohan so we get access to the kids and enjoy their company as well as they enjoy our company.’

He added that the family still hasn’t received an apology from Dennis ‘but I’m sure that will come in time’. 

‘We have to remember that there are two young people caught up in this tragedy who’ve lost their mum.

‘For them to then go and lose their dad [to a jail sentence], albeit a temporary loss, I don’t think that would be ideal at all.

‘From the outset it [a jail term] wasn’t something that we were pursuing. The mental health and wellbeing of Ollie and Maddy have been front of mind for us right from the word go, and that remains the case.

‘Their health and wellbeing is more important than a period of incarceration.’

Dennis revealed details of the tragedy in an interview with police the day after his wife’s death.

He explained that the pair had been involved in an argument relating to home renovations and ‘tensions had boiled over’.

During the interview with police, the Olympian, who had competed at the London 2012 Olympics, Rio in 2016 and Tokyo in 2021, told officer he had no intention of harming his wife adding that it was ‘the last thing I’d ever b****y do’.

‘We were yelling at each other, and I was just like “I’m out”, as in like I’m just gonna leave the house,’ Dennis told officers.

‘As I was getting in my car, my wife Mel ran out and as I was moving she jumped in front and onto the bonnet.

‘So I kept driving slowly down the lane and was like just looking at her, saying: “What are you doing?”.

‘Then we got to the end of Medindie Lane and I stopped and noticed Mel was looking to jump off basically… and she jumped off.’

Recounting the moment that Hoskins fell to the floor, Dennis had told police officers: ‘She attempted to grab the door handle, which I believe she got a handle on now and must have been running next to the car trying to get onto the footstep to the side.

‘At this stage, I’ve realised that like, she’s probably gonna try and get on and it’s getting a little bit out of control.

‘From memory, I let go of the accelerator but I heard a thump and I saw in my mirror that she was on the ground.

‘So I pulled over as quick as I could and ran back to her.’

He explained that his wife appeared to be struggling to breathe.

‘I was just talking to her the whole time to try keep her awake,’ Dennis said.

‘She was just moaning, like grunting with the pain and I was saying: “Can you feel your legs, are you OK”. And she was nodding as “yes”.

‘Like, I knew she’d hit her head but… when I pulled her it felt like she potentially broke some ribs or something and like this was bloody hoping it’s the worse thing.

‘And that’s why blood was coming up.

Dennis (pictured left outside court in Adelaide on Wednesday) was facing a maximum penalty of seven years in jail and refused to comment or apologise after sentencing

Hoskins’ father said her family never wanted Dennis (pictured at the 2022 Commonwealth Games) to be jailed, citing their desire to protect their grandchildren from further trauma

Melissa Hoskins’ sister Jessica Locke (pictured centre with her mother and father) previously told a court that Dennis had shown ‘no remorse’ for what happened

‘That’s why I was thinking maybe that’s why she was struggling to talk. She couldn’t quite breathe properly.’

During sentencing submissions in the SA District Court 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.

Ms Hoskins’ sister Jessica Locke told the court that Dennis – who won a silver medal at the 2012 Olympics – 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.

Peter Hoskins said the family’s ‘greatest fear’ was losing access to their grandchildren, now aged six and four.

They were ‘silent grievers’ who were too young to realise the present and future impact of their mother’s loss on their lives, he said.

At that hearing, Ms Abbey said her client presented as a ‘very stoic man’.

‘When the public is not watching … he is not at all stoic. He is experiencing deep, deep grief.’

Ms 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.

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.

Ms Hoskins was laid to rest in her home city of Perth and a public memorial service was held in Adelaide in February last year.

Dennis attended the service with their two children.

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