Wheelchair-bound ‘FBI refugee’ who ‘famed his own death and fled to Scotland to evade US rape charges’ will have his fingerprints taken to prove who he is
- A man who claims he is not the person US prosecutors are looking for on a Utah rape charge will have his fingerprints taken in an attempt to prove who he is
- US prosecutors have said the 34-year-old, who claims to be Arthur Knight, is actually Nicholas Rossi who is wanted for rape in Utah
- He said he agreed to have his prints taken but asked that Police Scotland wouldn’t be the ones to do it
- The man is due to appear in court again on August 11 and remains in custody
A wheelchair-bound man accused of faked his own death and fleeing to Scotland to avoid rape charges in the United States has agreed to have his fingerprints taken to prove who he is.
US prosecutors have said 34-year-old is Nicholas Rossi – who allegedly raped a 21-year-old in Utah in 2008 and is wanted by the FBI for a slew of other sexual assaults on women in Rhode Island, Ohio and Massachusetts.
But he claims he is actually Arthur Knight, a victim of mistaken identity who has never been to the United States.
The man was arrested in Glasgow earlier this year after being hospitalized with COVID and has been in custody ever since, as a Salt Lake County prosecutor has issued new charges against Rossi.
He appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Thursday via a video link, where Sheriff Norman McFadyen said his prints would be taken by Police Scotland “in the interest of justice” and as a “belt and braces” measure.
He will also face charges in August for allegedly threatening two hospital drugs last week.
An alleged fugitive who faked his own death to evade US sexual assault charges will be fingerprinted in an attempt to prove who he is
During Thursday’s 74-minute hearing, the suspect, who denied being Nicholas Rossi at the start of the proceedings, repeatedly asked for oxygen.
The man represented himself and said, “I can’t think properly or handle my argument because I don’t have oxygen and I haven’t had it for almost 36 hours and I’m hypoxic.”
But Sheriff McFadyen said, “I’ve been told your satiety levels have been tested and they’re normal.”
The suspect then told the court that they were using “a Poundland” oximeter, a medical device that measures the amount of oxygen in the blood.
The suspect, who was in a wheelchair, was charged last week with threatening two hospital drugs at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow.
Fiscal Attorney Julie Clark told the court that he had his fingerprints taken in connection with that case, but that the Lord Advocate was of the opinion that they should not be used in the extradition case, so another sample must be provided.
The man said he would agree to have his prints provided but said he did not want Police Scotland to be the ones to do so.
Sheriff McFadyen said the warrant was issued “for fingerprinting by Police Scotland officers at Her Majesty’s Prison Edinburgh. I will make arrangements for officers to be present for that purpose.’
He also said the next extradition hearing would be adjourned to August 11, following the Glasgow Sheriff Court hearing into allegations that he threatened two medics.
He was taken into pre-trial detention.
Nicholas Rossi (pictured) charged with faking his cancer death in the US to avoid sexual assault charges, before fleeing to Scotland
The hearing comes as US authorities charge fugitive Rossi on a new rape charge.
The Salt Lake County District Attorney’s office said a warrant had been issued against Rossi’s arrest, and gave several aliases, including Arthur Knight.
District Attorney Sim Gill said: “We are working with the Utah County law firm and the US Attorney on the extradition of Nicholas Rossi from Scotland.
“The presumption of innocence applies. Nicholas Rossi remains innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.”