Everything we know about Melissa Hoskins’ death and the sentencing of her husband Rohan Dennis
It’s the story that shocked the nation and left two children without a mother. Here’s what we know about that fateful night in an affluent suburb of Adelaide and the court case that followed.
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Looking in, it would appear they had it all.
Both former Olympians and gold medallists that went from trackside sweethearts to the golden couple of the pro-cycling world.
Melissa Hoskins and Rohan Dennis bonded over their mutual love of cycling, a sporting couple catapulted into the high-life of international success.
And at home, at their $2.45m property in the affluent tree-lined suburb of Medindie in Adelaide, family life focused on their two young children.
It’s a life many would have exchanged in a heartbeat.
But on December 30, the day before New Year’s Eve, Hoskins would die at just 32 years old and her 33-year-old husband would be arrested.
Here’s everything we know about the sporting power couple, that tragic night and the days that have followed – and the sentence handed down to Rohan Dennis on May 14, 2025.
Who are Rohan Dennis and Melissa Hoskins?
Hailing from Perth in Western Australia, Melissa Hoskins showed signs of being a promising sportswoman from an early age.
She started competitive cycling at just 16, initially competing and largely winning gruelling endurance events.
In 2012, she headed to the London Olympics, where another rising star in the cycling world would compete.
Adelaide-born Dennis, just 22 at the time, was already a gold medallist, and had helped Australia to gold at the 2011 London World Cup.
The couple might have missed Olympic gold that year, with Dennis and his team landing silver and Hoskins’ team finishing at fourth place behind Canada, their days spent together as Team Australia were the foundations of a relationship that would span over 12 years.
In the years that followed, the couple would travel the world competing, living in Spain and Andorra.
In May 2017, Hoskins announced the couple’s engagement as well as her retirement from competition, with the pair marrying in February 2018.
And life looked like it was about to settle in South Australia for the couple, with them moving into their multimillion-dollar property in Adelaide with their two kids just before Christmas.
It came after Dennis, a dual world champion, called time on his 16-year cycling career in 2023, announcing the news via an Instagram post where he thanked his wife.
What happened on the night of December 30 2023?
“All I heard was just one long siren. There was no smash bang or anything like that, just the siren,” said Andrew Boaucaut, a neighbour.
For many of the residents of Avenel Gardens Road in Medindie, this was the first indicator that something was wrong.
Just after 8pm, emergency services rushed to the affluent street, with witnesses stating that a woman had been hit by a car.
Neighbours were first alerted to the incident when emergency services arrived in the quiet suburban neighbourhood.
The woman was 32-year-old Ms Hoskins. She was immediately rushed to Royal Adelaide Hospital with serious injuries but would later die.
It’s the next twist that has left the nation shocked.
Detectives and Major Crash officers investigated the scene and soon arrested Dennis, charging him with causing death by dangerous driving, driving without due care and endangering life.
Charges were later downgraded and Dennis, 44, pleaded guilty to driving recklessly before her death and acting in a way likely to cause harm.
The Hoskins family faced Dennis at Adelaide District Court in March of this year, where he sat in the dock as they delivered their victim impact statements.
Ms Hoskins’ father Peter broke down when he spoke about the impact the tragic event would have on the couple’s two children, who he called the family’s “silent grievers”.
“The silent grievers too young to realise the present and future impact of their mother’s loss on their lives,” he said.
Peter said when the police delivered the news of Ms Hoskins’ death, he was unable to process the devastating development and was overwhelmed with “disbelief, anger and confusion”.
Sister Jessica said she continued to have nightmares about the event and would sometimes wake up in the night and see the faces of the policeman who had informed her of the terrible news.
“It’s not something that will ever pass,” she said.
“I will live with this every single day while I’m alive.”
She also said the family had not received an apology from Dennis for his actions.
“No remorse has been shown,” she said.
Dennis has admitted to driving a motor vehicle without lawful excuse while Ms Hoskins was on or in proximity to the vehicle, knowing that act was likely to cause harm to another and being recklessly indifferent to whether such harm was caused.
He is not being held responsible for Ms Hoskins’ death.
The maximum penalty for the offence is seven years’ jail.
What were the moments that led to the tragedy?
During the trial the court was told a domestic argument about money for a kitchen renovation had spilled out from the home to the street.
Melissa Hoskins died on December 30, 2023 after being struck by the Volkswagen Amarok Highline V6 ute Dennis was driving on Avenel Gardens Rd, Medindie.
In his police interview in the early hours on December 31, 2023, Dennis told the officers he and Ms Hoskins were having an argument about renovations and “tensions boiled over”.
“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.”
Dennis then said he “put his foot down” to make sure Ms Hoskins couldn’t attempt to get into the car.
He said Ms Hoskins was still attempting to grab the door handle while running alongside the car and it got a “bit out of control”.
“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,” he said.
Dennis said he rolled Ms Hoskins onto her side because she seemed to be gurgling and choking on something which he thought might have been blood.
He said by the time the ambulance arrived Ms Hoskins was still breathing and awake.
Ms Hoskins, originally from Perth, later died in the Royal Adelaide Hospital from catastrophic injuries.
What was the reaction immediately after Melissa Hoskins’ death?
In the days that followed December 30, 2023, tributes were shared by the many people who have spent time with Hoskins.
Three-time world champion on the track Annette Edmondson posted a lengthy tribute on her Instagram, after describing her friend as a “beautiful soul” on Monday.
“I still can’t comprehend that the world has lost one of its shining stars this weekend,” she posted.
“A fun, loving, hilarious person, who was so talented in so many areas. A force to be reckoned with, she took the track and road cycling world by storm, before pursuing her next dream, starting a family and becoming the ultimate Mum.”
Fellow team member Amy Cure said Hoskins would be forever missed.
“My rivalry, my teammate, writing our names in world record books, world championship victories, Olympic Games upsets, to celebrating retirements. You were there for the entirety of my career,” she posted on Instagram.
Former teammate in road cycling Valentina Scandolara said there were “no words” to describe what had happened.
“There are simply no words for a tragedy of this magnitude,” she posted.
“Mel was an amazing, fun, loyal, strong, wonderful woman, athlete, teammate, champion.
“As long as we’ll remember and celebrate her, she’ll somehow still be, and her legacy will live on.”
Australia’s women’s team pursuit cycling member Georgia Baker has staged an emotional tribute to former Olympian Hoskins in July 2024 at the Paris Olympics.
In an emotional Instagram post, the Australian team revealed the reason why they will wear identical watches during the Games.
“Georgie gifted us these precious watches to remember this moment in time,’’ they wrote. “It’s a way to remember the team and our journey together.
“A way to keep us united and to remember the memories left from this amazing experience.
“For Georgia’s first Olympics in 2016 the late Melissa Hoskins gifted her and her teammates one and she still treasures it. She wanted to give us the same present.
“We could not be more thankful.’’
Baker gifted team members Alexandra Manly, Chloe Moran, Maeve Plouffe and Sophie Edwards the watches as a way to remember the Olympics and honour Hoskins’ memory.
“The cycling community is struggling to comprehend it really,’’ Brown said.
“Personally, I’m just super-sad for Mel and her family.’’
Speaking to News Corp in the lead-up to the games, executive general manager of AusCycling Jesse Korf spoke of the added emotion that several track riders would carry with them to Paris following Hoskins’ tragic passing.
Australian track cycling great Anna Meares said she had a “very heavy heart” in the wake of the shock death of her former teammate.
What has Melissa Hoskins’ family said?
Melissa’s parents, Peter and Amanda, and sister, Jess, released a statement shortly after her death, stating that words could not convey their grief and sadness.
“Myself, Amanda, Jess and families, are utterly devastated and still struggling to process what has happened,” they said in a joint statement in late 2024.
“Not only have we lost a daughter and sister, her children have lost their mum, a freewheeling spirit, a giver with a big heart, patience and zest for life.
“She was the rock of their life and ours and we need to honour her memory so they can grow up knowing who she was, what she stood for and what she gave to everyone whose life she touched.
“The outpouring of sadness and support has overwhelmed us. In her short life Melissa has had so many positive touch points in and around the world.
“The funeral will be held in Perth, her hometown, with a memorial service in Adelaide after the Tour Down Under.
“We now need to deal with our grief privately and will be making no further comments. We ask that media please respect our privacy and that of Melissa’s children.”
“Your temper is your downfall and needs to be addressed.”
In their Victim Impact Statements, Melissa’s family said Dennis has shown “no remorse”.
“Can I forgive you for the abandonment of your responsibilities as a husband and father on December 30?” Her father Peter Hoskins said in court.
“I doubt I can do that … given what you have taken from me and my family.”
Ms Hoskins’ sister, Jessica Locke told the court Dennis had shown no remorse for the death of her “best friend”.
“Neither myself or my family or friends have received any kind of apology from Rohan for his actions on that night that resulted in my sister, Melissa’s death,” she said.
“If anything, Rohan’s actions since that night … suggest that he perceived himself as a victim of the situation.”
Ms Hoskins’ mother, Amanda Hoskins told the court her daughter’s death had devastated her and her family.
“She didn’t deserve this for all the things she did, she always put her family first,” she said.
“It’s more than 16 months and as a mother I grieve for her everyday.”
Ms Hoskins said she believed it was “a tragic accident” but added in court:
“Your temper is your downfall and needs to be addressed.”
Where was Melissa farewelled?
Hundreds of mourners gathered to farewell world-class cyclist and Olympian Melissa Hoskins at a public service in Adelaide on February 24, 2024.
Mr Dennis attended the memorial with the couple’s two children, but did not speak during the service. He was photographed hugging guests before the ceremony started.
The memorial was held on what would have been Ms Hoskin’s 33rd birthday.
The Adelaide farewell followed a service held in Melissa’s home town of Perth.
Where is Rohan Dennis now?
Dennis, a former Tour de France star, was on Wednesday, May 14, given a suspended sentence.
Jane Abbey KC, had previously pushed for a suspended sentence for Dennis, which was not opposed by prosecution.
The Olympic cyclist will not serve jail time after his wife died when she was hit by his car in an “inherently risky and dangerous act”.
Judge Ian Press sentenced Dennis to more than a year in a jail, with a non-parole period of 10 months – but said he was suspending the sentence because Dennis was now the sole carer of the couple’s two young children.
Dennis pleaded guilty to aggravated creating likelihood of harm – a charge that did not allege he caused Ms Hoskins’ death.
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