Olympic cyclist Rohan Dennis is seeking a suspended sentence over the “tragic accident” that led to the death of his wife, fellow Olympian Melissa Hoskins.
Dennis, 34, is set to be sentenced in the South Australia District Court today after pleading guilty to a charge of committing an aggravated act likely to cause harm.
He was arrested after his wife was struck by his vehicle near their home at Medindie, in Adelaide’s inner north, on December 30, 2023.
Hoskins suffered serious injuries and died in Royal Adelaide Hospital.
The court has been told that 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.
The offence carries a maximum sentence of seven years in jail and a five-year loss of driver’s licence, but barrister Jane Abbey KC has asked that her client receive a suspended sentence, which was not opposed by the prosecution.
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.
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.
Her father 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, 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.”
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.
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.
