Former Olympian Rohan Dennis appeared in South Australia’s District Court on Friday in relation to charges of driving while disqualified, an offence he admitted to after being caught behind the wheel during an active driving ban. The incident followed a previous court case linked to the tragic death of his wife, Melissa Hoskins.

Dennis had entered a written guilty plea in July, acknowledging that he was driving in June despite the restrictions imposed upon him. The hearing on Friday, initially scheduled for arraignment, took a different turn when Dennis appeared before Judge Ian Press—the same judge who presided over the earlier case stemming from Hoskins’ death.

In 2024, Judge Press sentenced Dennis to a 17-month suspended jail term and imposed a five-year driving disqualification after Dennis pleaded guilty to an aggravated charge of creating a likelihood of harm. At that time, the judge cautioned Dennis that any further driving during the period of suspension would constitute a breach of his bond and could lead to a custodial sentence.

During the recent proceeding, Dennis, dressed in a black suit, was represented by legal counsel who submitted an application requesting that Judge Press recuse himself from the current matter. The specifics of this request are set to be examined in a subsequent hearing scheduled later this month. No further details were provided at Friday’s brief appearance.