Former Olympic cyclist Rohan Dennis avoids jail time in wife’s death – National

Former world champion Rohan Dennis will avoid a prison sentence in the death of his wife, his Olympian compatriot Melissa Hoskins.

Dennis, 34, appeared on Wednesday before the Southern Australian district court, after pleading guilty to an accusation of having committed an aggravated act likely to harm.

He was sentenced to a suspended sentence to what was called a “tragic accident”, the judge saying that when Dennis had ignored his wife’s security by accelerating and hitting her with his vehicle when he was trying to prevent him from leaving, he was not criminally responsible for his death.

Hoskins was overturned by a van led by Dennis near their home in Australia, Australia, a few days after Christmas in 2023. She was holding the truck door, trying to prevent him from driving, when he accelerated and led her to slip under the truck. She suffered serious injuries and died later in the hospital.

The court was informed that the couple had competed in the renovations of the kitchen before Dennis leaves their house and tries to leave. The court also learned that at one point, Hoskins had jumped on the hood of the car to try to prevent it from leaving, but that Dennis continued to drive at a slow speed for about 75 meters while it was on the vehicle.

The two cyclists were removed at the time. They got married in February 2018 and had two children.

Dennis was sentenced to one year, four months and 28 days in prison on Wednesday to be suspended for two years. The penalty was reduced by two years and two months due to his guilty plea and he was placed on a good behavior of two years.

His license was also suspended for five years.

“I accept that you have a sense of responsibility for everything that has happened, I accept that you were anxious about what could have been different if you had acted in another way,” said judge Ian Press on Wednesday.

Dennis has shown little emotion when the press condemned him.

“Given your plea of ​​guilt, your remorse, that you are the only caregiver of your young children, and taking into account all your other personal circumstances and the circumstances of the offense, I am convinced that a good reason exists to suspend this sentence,” said the judge.

Press said that even if Dennis had tried to “defuse the argument” when he left, he said that this does not excuse the actions of the cyclist.

“That you did not stop because you wanted to leave, it’s a very bad reason not to do it.”

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While the offense was sentenced to a maximum sentence of seven years in prison, lawyer Jane Abbey asked her client to receive a sentence sentence.

During the submissions of determining the sentence in April, Amanda Hoskins, the mother of the deceased, said that her daughter had loved Dennis “and I know that you would never have intentionally injured.”

“I think it’s a tragic accident. Your temperament is your fall and must be discussed, “she said.

Apart from the court, reports Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Peter Hoskins told journalists that Dennis had not yet apologized to the family for the death of his daughter, but expected that “came with time”.

“It is now time for us to move on, which would be Melissa’s expectations for us,” he said, adding that it was important that the couple has a “well-high relationship” with Dennis in the future.

“There are two young children caught in this tragedy … Clearly, we want to continue to be an integral part of [the] Children’s life and their future.

Hoskins contributed to Australia at the London and Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games in the pursuit of the team and was in the team that won the 2015 title in the event.

– With files from the Associated Press

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