Rohan Dennis says Melissa Hoskins’ death was “an accident” in statement aimed at Australian media

Hoskins died at the end of 2023 after she was struck in the driveway following an argument with Dennis, who at the time was still officially under contract with Jumbo-Visma. Because Dennis is the primary carer for the couple’s two children, Hoskins’ family did not want to see him sent to prison.

Dennis has said before that he continues to be contacted by the Australian press, recently even sharing screenshots of that contact on social media. He has now followed that up with a longer public statement.

According to Dennis, not everyone will care about what journalists and others have said to him since the incident involving his wife. But he says he wanted to respond publicly because, in his view, the media created a false narrative about him in pursuit of clicks.

Dennis says that what happened was an accident. He says he loved Melissa Hoskins and that the last thing he ever wanted was to hurt her. He also insists that physical aggression never entered his mind during any disagreement with her, and says the media narrative was designed to make him look like a husband who abused his wife.

He adds that he has always opposed violence against women, especially against the mother of his children, and says he now feels compelled to speak publicly about some of the things that so-called journalists have said to him.

Dennis goes on to accuse the media of hypocrisy. He says reporters speak publicly about concern for the children, while at the same time stalking, following and intimidating not only adults in his family, but also doing so when the children are present. He also says cars have followed the family in order to track and publicise their movements, creating stressful situations for his children.

He also claims that his words have repeatedly been twisted. Dennis says the media know he never intentionally or unintentionally used a vehicle as a weapon, and argues that this has never been established in legal terms either. He further says the video footage of the incident does not support that claim, yet he believes the press continue to pursue that line for cheap clicks.

Dennis then recalls how members of the media approached him and his family at the airport less than 24 hours after Hoskins’ funeral. He says he and others still vividly remember the things that were said to him in front of his two-year-old daughter, describing that behaviour as disgusting.

He also says one cameraman eventually fell and injured himself. Dennis says he did not laugh, but instead asked whether the man was okay, despite what he describes as constant attempts to provoke him.