Covid patient is American rape suspect who faked his own death, court rules
A SHERIFF has ruled a fantasist who nearly died of Covid in a Glasgow hospital IS Nicholas Rossi - a sex fiend wanted by cops in America.
The 35-year-old’s fake persona of a wheelchair-bound Irish orphan was demolished by a wave of overwhelming evidence heard at an extradition hearing in Edinburgh this week.
The man, wanted for rapes in Utah and other sex and fraud offences in three other states, faked his death and began a new life in the UK as “Arthur Knight”.
But the beast, who uses 16 aliases, was found after a global manhunt that led Interpol to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital where he was in a coma on a ventilator, a story first revealed in this newspaper.
The fugitive was identified using fingerprints, tattoos and mugshots - but the scheming creep claimed he’d been tattooed while in a coma and his prints had been stolen while he was laid up on the ward.
Sheriff Norman McFadyen ruled he’d created a tissue of lies to deny who he really was.
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This week, Advocate depute Paul Harvey had the fugitive, 35, rattled after getting him to admit that his looks, tattoos and fingerprints all matched the suspect hunted by the Americans.
The Crown lawyer told the clearly flustered American: “Arthur Knight is the latest name you have used to evade the authorities.
“You are the person the US authorities seek. You are Nicholas Rossi.”
But during his hour of evidence, Rossi then made the claim that he was given the tattoos while in a Covid coma at a Glasgow Hospital.
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He then bizarrely claimed a corrupt NHS worker called Patrick took his prints while he was in a coma with Covid at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital last December.
He told his extradition hearing “Patrick” sent them on to crimebusters in the States as part of a plot to stitch him up.
When asked if he now accepts that he has tattoos, he replied: “Yes I noticed them in November. When I awoke from being in a coma they were there. But they were not there when I first went into hospital.
“They started to fade away by the December or January.
“They were put on my body to make me look like I am Mr Rossi.”
He also said he didn’t have any more information on “Patrick” other than he took his prints.
And the convicted sex offender said his pictures had been “transposed” onto an Interpol red notice seeking his arrest — therefore making him appear to bear a striking resemblance to the ‘real’ suspect.
The court also heard from another fingerprint expert who said there was “similar characteristics” on prints she analysed from Rossi compared to ones on the red notice.
Anita Vessa said: “I was asked to compare the prints against a Red Interpol notice and FBI warrant.
“I compared all three documents and have no doubt they all match.”
Rossi is battling extradition to the states - where he is wanted on rape and sex assault claims.
He is banged up in Saughton prison fighting extradition to his homeland and insists he’s Englishman Arthur Knight.
Rossi fled to Scotland after allegedly faking his own death.
He was arrested at Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital last December, where he almost died of Covid.
He now uses a wheelchair and oxygen mask.
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The hearing continues.
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