Rohan Dennis Faces Possible Jail Sentence for Driving While Disqualified

Former top professional Rohan Dennis is facing possible jail time, just over a year after avoiding a harsh sentence over the death of his wife Melissa Hoskins.

Dennis pled guilty this week to driving while disqualified. He was pulled over by police last month while travelling with two children in the vehicle, despite having a five year ban from driving.

Hoskins died on December 30 2023 after being fatally injured by a vehicle driven by Dennis. The two had had a heated row and he abruptly left the family home near Adelaide, Australia, attempting to drive away.

Hoskins climbed onto the hood of the vehicle but, as CCTV video revealed, Dennis continued driving 75 yards.

Lawyers said that she tried to open a door while the vehicle continued to move, falling and suffered serious injuries. She later died in hospital.

Dennis was initially charged with dangerous driving causing death and driving without due care.

However he entered a guilty plea on a lesser charge of an aggravated count of creating the likelihood of harm, which carried a maximum of a seven-year sentence.

On May 14 2025 the judge Ian Press handed him a 17-month prison sentence but suspended it, placing him on a two year good behavior bond.

He was also disqualified from driving for five years.

His guilty plea on Friday came as prosecutors requested for the matter to be referred to the District Court, both in relation to the driving while disqualified offence as well as the breach of the good behavior bond.

Dennis is due to reappear in court in September.

Now 36, the Australian took the world time trial championship in 2018 and 2019.

He won a stage in the Tour in 2015 and two stages in the 2018 Vuelta a España. He retired at the end of 2023.

Hoskins was also a world champion, taking gold as part of the Australian team pursuit squad in 2015. She competed as a road professional with Orica-AIS between 2012 and 2015.

She retired in 2017, marrying Dennis and having the first of two children the following year.