Judge Recuses Himself in Rohan Dennis Driving Disqualified Case

A new sentencing judge will hear the case of Rohan Dennis, who has pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified.

Judge Ian Press has recused himself today on the basis that a member of the public may deem him not impartial or unprejudiced given he presided over Dennis's previous sentence.

The matter will return to court before a new judge in November.

A District Court judge has recused himself in the matter of former professional cyclist Rohan Dennis, who previously pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified.

Lawyers for Dennis had previously told the court it would be "inappropriate" for the appointed sentencing judge to preside over his current case.

Last year, Dennis was given a suspended sentence and a five-year driving ban for the events leading up to a crash which killed his wife, Olympic cyclist Melissa Hoskins.

Ms Hoskins, a two-time Olympian cyclist, was struck by a car driven by Dennis outside the couple's Medindie home in Adelaide's inner-north in December 2023.

When Dennis was sentenced for the crash, Judge Ian Press told him that if he was caught driving while disqualified he could expect to be sent to prison.

"It will be a serious criminal offence, and you can expect that you would then have to serve the sentence that I have just imposed because you will have breached that bond by not being of good behaviour," Judge Press had said at the sentencing.

"I cannot stress how important it is that you comply with the conditions of the bond."

At the time, Dennis indicated in court that he understood.

In June, police caught Dennis driving, with two children as passengers in the vehicle, not far from where his wife died.

Judge Press today recused himself from the driving disqualified case on the basis that a member of the public may deem him not impartial or unprejudiced given he presided over Dennis's previous sentence.

He noted there may be an impression that he had prejudged what should happen, given his prior warnings and that Dennis had breached the bond.

The matter will return to court before a new judge for arraignment in November.