Olympic cyclist admits to driving despite ban after crash that killed wife

Australian Olympic cyclist Rohan Dennis has pleaded guilty to driving despite a five-year ban placed on him after a 2023 incident where he struck his wife with a car.

Dennis, 36, appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Friday to face a charge of driving while disqualified after police pulled him over last month when he was behind the wheel with two children as passengers.

Last year, Dennis received a suspended jail sentence after pleading guilty to one aggravated count of creating the likelihood of harm under a plea deal where prosecutors dropped two more serious charges.

The court found he was not criminally responsible for Melissa Hoskins' death but had been reckless in his actions.

During last year's case, the court heard that the couple - who got married in 2018 - had been arguing about kitchen renovations before Dennis got into his car to leave.

Hoskins, who was also an Olympic cyclist, jumped onto the bonnet of the car and later held onto the car door as Dennis continued to drive. She fell off and was later struck by the car. Hoskins later died in hospital from her injuries.

Dennis was spared jail time when he was sentenced last May, with the judge suspending the 17-month prison term by placing him on a two-year good behaviour bond.

He was also disqualified from driving for five years, with the start date from the day of the car incident in December 2023.

On Friday, the court heard that prosecutors have asked for the matter to be referred to the District Court to deal with both the driving while disqualified offence and his breach of the good behaviour bond.

The father-of-two is due back in court in September.

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