Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
Disgraced Olympian Rohan Dennis has made an unorthodox bid after being met with a familiar face on the bench.
The former cyclist appeared in court on Friday after previously admitting driving while disqualified following the tragedy involving his wife Melissa Hoskins.
In July, Dennis entered a guilty plea in writing to the offence, having been caught behind the wheel in June while serving a driving ban.
On Friday, he had been due to be arraigned at South Australia’s District Court. However, the hearing took a different form.
Wearing a black suit, white shirt and black tie, Dennis stood in the dock in front of Judge Ian Press – the same judge who sentenced him over Ms Hoskins’ death.
On that occasion, Judge Press handed Dennis a 17-month suspended jail sentence and a five-year driving ban after he pleaded guilty to an aggravated charge of creating likelihood of harm.
Sentencing Dennis in 2024, the judge warned him that driving would be a breach of his bond and would likely result in a custodial sentence.
But during a brief hearing, his legal representative Craig Caldicott said an application had been lodged requesting Judge Press recuse himself from the case.
Speaking outside court after the hearing, Mr Caldicott said details of the application would be heard later this month.
“We believe that there are appropriate circumstances to seek a recusal,” he told waiting journalists.
“He is a very good judge, but there is a thing called the law and we follow the law and do what is appropriate in all these cases.”
Asked whether there was a possibility his client would be facing a jail sentence, Mr Caldicott added: “There’s always a possibility on any matter.”
Dennis’ latest court case centres around an incident on June 11 when he was found to be driving a car in Adelaide. The vehicle has since been impounded.
Ms Hoskins, who was also an Olympic cyclist, died on December 31, 2023, from injuries suffered after being hit by a car driven by Dennis outside of their home in Adelaide’s inner suburbs.
Dennis had originally been charged with causing death by dangerous driving and driving without due care, but both of these charges were dropped.
While sentencing Dennis two years ago, Judge Press acknowledged that the Olympian was not responsible for causing his wife’s death.
Dennis caused further controversy earlier this year when he posted a photograph of a Porsche on Instagram and called it an “absolute weapon”.
He has since wiped his social media presence.
The 36-year-old declined to speak to media outside of court before and after the hearing, remaining silent when questioned.
The matter was adjourned until Wednesday, September 22 at the same court.
