- Scottish court approves extradition of suspected rapist Nicholas Rossi to the US.
- Rossi claimed to be an Irish refugee named Arthur Knight, but his identity was confirmed by tattoos and biometrics.
- Rossi’s dishonest and manipulative behavior prolonged the extradition proceedings, costing taxpayers thousands in legal expenses.
Nicholas Rossi, according to US authorities, is a fugitive who fled to avoid severe sex charges. The 35-year-old purports to be Arthur Knight, an Irish orphan.
A Scottish court has ruled that a suspected rapist who staged his death can be extradited to the United States to face serious sex-related charges.
Nicholas Rossi, who claims to be an Irish refugee named Arthur Knight, has been the subject of a protracted extradition dispute in Edinburgh.
American law enforcement officials assert he retreated to the United Kingdom to evade justice.
Rossi, 35, was traced down via an Interpol red notice while unconscious in a COVID hospital ward in Glasgow in 2021, bringing an end to an international game of hide and seek.
After his tattoos and biometrics matched National Crime Agency records, he was arrested.
In November of last year, a Scottish court determined he was the suspect American authorities had been seeking.
By asserting a case of mistaken identity, Rossi has purposefully delayed extradition proceedings. The taxpayer is covering his tens of thousands of dollars in legal expenses.
Previously, a Scottish sheriff labeled as “scandalous” Rossi’s series of sensational claims that tattoos were placed on his body while he was in a coma due to coronavirus.
He also asserted that British and American officials were conspiring to frame him.
In court, it was suggested that Rossi “voluntarily” attended court via videolink, but in an outburst, he claimed that he had been brought before the camera by “physical force” and called the bailiff “a disgrace to justice.”
Sheriff Norman McFadyen stated before the Edinburgh Sheriff Court, “I conclude that extradition would be compatible with Convention rights under the 1998 Human Rights Act.”
“Therefore, I must forward the case of the requested person, Nicholas Rossi, to the Scottish ministers for their decision on his extradition.”
It is now anticipated that the justice secretary of Scotland will rubber-stamp the move.
Sheriff McFadyen continued, “I conclude that he is dishonest, deceitful, evasive, and manipulative. These regrettable aspects of his personality have unquestionably complicated and prolonged an otherwise straightforward case.”
He had “no medical need” for a wheelchair but used one.
In what has become a global spectacle, the Edinburgh Sheriff Court has hosted a series of hearings extending over 18 months.
Rossi used a wheelchair to get to and from jail owing to health issues.
Rossi’s wheelchair was deemed “not medically necessary” by HMP Edinburgh’s physician, who testified in court. She thought his legs were “athletic.”
Throughout the extradition proceedings, Rossi spoke with a gruff, feeble, and sluggish English accent.
When he spoke of his putative childhood in Ireland, he did so with a Dublin accent.
During private consultations with a medical professional, Rossi’s diction reportedly accelerated and improved the longer he spoke.
A multitude of witnesses described the alleged sexual offender as manipulative, narcissistic, and aggressive.
Rossi was “eager to obtain a psychiatric diagnosis” and wanted sectioning, despite the psychiatrist’s assessment that he was healthy.
The prosecutor informed Rossi that no one can rely on anything he says.
According to an extradition expert, the alleged fugitive could then appeal the court’s decision, a procedure that could take years.
