Olympic cyclist Rohan Dennis has been criticised for a social media post describing a Porsche as an “absolute weapon”, ten months after he received a suspended sentence for his wife’s death. Melissa Hoskins, a fellow Olympic cyclist, died in December 2023 when she was struck by a car driven by Dennis near their Adelaide home.
Dennis pleaded guilty to committing an aggravated act likely to cause harm but was not held criminally responsible for Hoskins’ death. He returned to Instagram on Tuesday with a photo of a bike frame, followed by a picture of a black Porsche captioned “What an absolute weapon” and a song titled Fancy $hit.
South Australia’s commissioner for victims’ rights, Sarah Quick, labelled the post “deeply offensive” and said it showed “a clear lack of insight into the real and lasting impact of the harm he has caused”. She added that it reflected “a profound lack of respect for Melissa and her family”.
During his sentencing last May, Dennis agreed to a $100, two-year good behaviour bond and had his driving licence suspended for five years. On Thursday, he posted an image of his children with the caption “Two absolute weapons” and a love heart emoji, before later deleting his entire Instagram account.
The court heard that after an argument, Hoskins jumped onto the bonnet of Dennis’s car. He continued driving, and she fell off and was fatally injured. Judge Ian Press noted Dennis’s “sense of responsibility” but stressed he was not charged with causing her death.
