Former world champion cyclist Rohan Dennis has avoided prison following a car incident in Australia which killed his fellow Olympian wife Melissa Hoskins.
Dennis had pleaded guilty to one aggravated count of creating the likelihood of harm, after 32-year-old Hoskins was struck by the car he was driving during a fight outside the couple’s Adelaide home in 2023.
But the judge said that while the athlete had disregarded his wife’s safety, he was not criminally responsible for her death.
He was given a suspended sentence of one year, four months and 28 days on he condition that Dennis also enter into a two-year good behaviour bond.
His driver’s licence was also suspended for five years.
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’.
‘She was someone really special,’ Peter said.
He said the family was yet to receive an apology, but expected it ‘will come with time’.
A stony-faced Dennis refused to comment after sentencing as he was asked if he wanted to apologise.
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’
Dennis (L) was given a suspended sentence of one year, four months and 28 days
A stony-faced Dennis refused to comment after sentencing as he was asked if he wanted to apologise
Peter added: ‘It’s now time for us to move on, which would be Melissa’s expectations of us.’
He added that it would ‘not be ideal at all’ for the grandchildren to be deprived of both parents if Dennis had been sentenced to prison.
‘From the outset it [a jail term] wasn’t something that we were pursuing,’ Peter said.
‘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.’
The court had heard that Dennis and Hoskins were arguing about kitchen renovations shortly before the incident occurred, and Hoskins had held on to the car her husband was driving as he tried to leave on December 30, 2023.
She had jumped onto the car bonnet before falling to the ground and was run over.
Hoskins was taken to hospital after being struck but later died of her injuries.
Hoskins’ father Peter said it would ‘not be ideal at all’ for the grandchildren to be deprived of both parents if Dennis had been sentenced to prison
The court had heard that Dennis and Hoskins were arguing about kitchen renovations shortly before the incident occurred
Dennis’ lawyer argued that he had no intention of harming his wife and either did not know or was ‘reckless to the fact’ that she was holding onto the car
Judge Ian Press acknowledged that Dennis had tried to ‘de-escalate the argument’ by driving off, but added: ‘It was your obligation to stop the vehicle when driving that vehicle became dangerous to her physical wellbeing.
‘That you did not stop because you wanted to leave, is a very poor reason for not doing so.’
Dennis’ lawyer argued that he had no intention of harming his wife and either did not know or was ‘reckless to the fact’ that she was holding onto the car.
She said Dennis felt a ‘deep, deep grief’ over the incident, with his remorse accepted by Judge Press.
‘I accept you have a sense of responsibility for all that occurred. I accept you have anguished over what could have been different if you had acted in some other way,’ the judge said.
During his initial interview with police, the Olympian told officers he had no intention of harming his wife.
‘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,’ he said.
‘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.
‘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.
During his initial interview with police, the Olympian told officers he had no intention of harming his wife
Rohan Dennis of Australia competes during the men’s cycling individual time trial at the 2020 Summer Olympics
‘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. I was just talking to her the whole time to try keep her awake.’
Hoskins was a world champion cyclist in the Australian team pursuit in 2015, and a two-time Olympian.
She married Dennis, who retired at the end of the 2023 season, in 2018.
Hoskins was laid to rest in her home city of Perth and a public memorial service was held in Adelaide in February last year.
This article was originally published by a www.dailymail.co.uk . Read the Original article here. .