Rohan Dennis Denies Intent To Harm Wife Melissa Hoskins, Slams 'False Narrative'

Last Updated:April 07, 2026, 08:56 IST

Rohan Dennis denies intending to harm late wife Melissa Hoskins in fatal car incident, court dropped serious charges but convicted him for reckless driving.

2012 London Olympics silver medallist cyclist Rohan Dennis has denied the allegation that he intended to harm his wife, Melissa Hoskins, who passed away in a car crash which involved Dennis.

On December 31, 2023, Dennis was arrested and charged with causing death by dangerous driving, driving without due care and endangering life after injuring Hoskins with a ute in the Adelaide suburb of Medindie.

Dennis was granted bail and appeared before the Adelaide Magistrates Court in March 2024. His bail was later extended to August 2024, when he was charged with causing death by dangerous driving and driving without due care.

“The narrative which the media ran with was clear. They wanted me to look like the husband who abused his wife," Dennis wrote on Instagram.

In May last year, Dennis received a 17-month suspended sentence after his car struck Hoskins near their suburban Adelaide home. He pleaded guilty to an aggravated act likely to cause harm, but wasn’t held responsible for her death.

Sarah Quick, South Australia’s victims’ rights commissioner, described the post as ‘deeply offensive’. Dennis later shared a picture of his two children with the caption: ‘Two absolute weapons’.

“Didn’t take these rats long," Dennis said after being contacted by a journalist for comment on his social media posts in mid-March.

“Never in my life has any physical aggression crossed my mind in any disagreement with Melissa. I have always been against any sort of abuse against women and especially the one who gave birth to my children," Dennis wrote on Instagram.

“The media speaks about the children and how saddened they are for the children. Yet they happily stalk, follow and harass not just adults in my family, but even when the kids are involved," Dennis added.

Prosecutors dropped the more serious charges of dangerous driving causing death and aggravated driving without due care, acknowledging that Dennis had acted recklessly but without intent to harm his wife.

Judge Ian Press emphasised that Dennis wasn’t responsible for his wife’s death, but that his conviction stemmed from driving up to 75 metres while Hoskins was clinging to the bonnet of his car.

News sports other-sports Rohan Dennis Denies Intent To Harm Wife Melissa Hoskins, Slams 'False Narrative'

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