Former World Champion and Olympian Rohan Dennis has delivered a broadside on social media over what he believes is a 'false narrative' created by journalists following his wife Melissa Hoskins' death in 2023.
Hoskins died after being struck by a vehicle driven by Dennis on December 30, 2023. He was deemed not criminally responsible for her death, but pleaded guilty in May 2025 to an aggravated charge of creating a likelihood of harm and was given a 17-month suspended sentence along with a five-year driving ban. Dennis had accepted the offer to enter into a two-year good behaviour bond in the sum of $100 as part of the suspended sentence.
"Not everyone is going to care about what was said to me by journalists or anyone since the accident with my wife," Dennis wrote in an extended series of Instagram posts earlier this week.
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"But I don't care. This is simply to point out the false narrative which the media created about me for clicks."
Dennis went on to insist that he had never wanted to harm his wife at any point, but he claimed that the media had whipped up a different perspective to ensure that a different image of him dominated in the news.
"Yes it was an accident," his post continued.
"I loved Melissa and the last thing I ever wanted was to hurt her. Never in my life has any physical aggression crossed my mind in any disagreement with Melissa."
"The narrative which the media ran with was clear they wanted me to look like the husband who abused his wife."
"I have ALWAYS been against any sort of abuse against women and especially the one who gave birth to my children."
Since the death of his wife, Dennis initially remained largely out of the spotlight. Last month, one of his first social media posts since the tragic incident, of a Porsche with a caption of 'What an absolute weapon', was condemned as "deeply offensive" by South Australia's Victims' Rights Commissioner. A subsequent post by Dennis, of his two children, had the caption "Two absolute weapons."
In his statement, Dennis addressed the controversy that stemmed from those posts, claiming there had been a ‘clear twisting’ of his words.
“They know I never intentionally or unintentionally used a vehicle as a weapon. Never was it legally said that I did either. The video footage of the accident also proves this statement. Yet again they come after me for cheap clicks. Pathetic journalism."
During the sentencing in May 2025, Adelaide District Court judge Ian Press emphasised the importance of acknowledging that Dennis was not facing charges of criminal responsibility "for all of the events of that night, and in particular, you are not charged with causing the death of your wife."
According to court records, Hoskins and Dennis argued about home renovations before the accident, and when he tried to leave in his vehicle, Hoskins jumped onto the hood to try to stop him, while he continued to drive for about six to ten seconds at or about 20km/h for about 75 metres.
After that, Hoskins got off the bonnet and was walking next to the car and opened the car door while it was moving, and, after shutting the door without stopping, Dennis then accelerated in what the sentencing remarks said appeared to be an attempt to drive away.
Dennis, who won the World Championships in the time trial in 2018 and 2019, had his 17-month sentence suspended due to his guilty plea, his remorse, and his status as the sole carer for his two children, according to Judge Press.
Hoskins was also a successful professional cyclist, a multi-time Olympian and team pursuit world champion. She was 32 years old.
In his latest statement, Dennis went on to complain about the way he has been treated by the media, listing out a series of interactions with reporters.
“The media speak about the children and how saddened they are for the children. Yet they happily stalk, follow and harass not just adults in my family but even when the kids are involved.
“Following us in cars to be able to publish our movements to the public. Putting my kids in stressful situations. Yet they care about the kids.”
Dennis concluded his statement, saying: “Time for all you so-called journalists and media outlets to back off and leave my family alone.”
