Olympic cyclist who ran over wife under fire over Porsche post

13 minutes ago

ShareSave

Lana LamSydney

ShareSave

Getty Images

Rohan Dennis pleaded guilty to one charge of creating the likelihood of harm

An Olympic cyclist whose wife died after he hit her with a car during a fight has been criticised for a social media post describing a Porsche as a “weapon”.

Last year, Rohan Dennis received a 17-month suspended sentence over a 2023 car incident which killed Melissa Hoskins - also an Olympic cyclist - outside the couple’s Adelaide home.

A court found Dennis was not criminally responsible for his wife’s death, but had disregarded her safety after he continued to drive while she clung onto the vehicle.

South Australia’s Victims’ Rights Commissioner described Dennis’ post as “deeply offensive” and said it showed “a clear lack of insight into the real and lasting impact” of his offending.

“It also reflects a profound lack of respect for Melissa and her family, who continue to live with the consequences of that harm every day,” Commissioner Sarah Quick said in a statement.

Her comments referred to two images that Dennis - who is still banned from driving - posted on his Instagram account of a newly-washed black Porsche with the caption: “What an absolute weapon”.

It is understood the Porsche is not the same car that killed his wife.

Dennis has since made social media posts calling his children “absolute weapons” and taking aim at media who had contacted him for comment.

The BBC has contacted Dennis’ lawyer for comment.

His Instagram account has been largely dormant since his wife’s death, with a post showing the family of four standing in front of a Christmas tree, less than a week before the incident.

Dennis was initially charged with dangerous driving causing death and driving without due care and pleaded not guilty, but he later admitted to a single, lesser charge - one aggravated count of creating the likelihood of harm.

During the case, the court heard that the pair had been arguing about kitchen renovations before Dennis got into his car to leave.

Hoskins jumped onto the bonnet and later held onto the car door as Dennis continued to drive, before falling off and getting struck by the car. She was taken to hospital and later died of her injuries.

At sentencing, Judge Ian Press said he accepted Dennis tried to “de-escalate the argument” by driving off but it did not excuse his actions to keep driving while his wife was on the car.

The judge accepted Dennis was remorseful and had a “sense of responsibility for all that occurred”.

Hoskins was a world champion cyclist in the Australian team pursuit in 2015, and a two-time Olympian. Her death triggered a wave of tributes from around the world.

She and Dennis married in 2018.

Dennis retired at the end of the 2023 season after a cycling career in which he won a silver medal team pursuit at the London 2012 Olympics and a road time trial bronze at Tokyo 2020. He also won a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in 2022.

Australia