Rape suspect Nicholas Rossi – who fought extradition from Scotland to America after claiming to be the sufferer of mistaken identification – has admitted for the primary time in court docket that he and alias Arthur Knight are the identical particular person.
Rossi made the admission whereas giving proof at a bail listening to in one in all two separate rape circumstances he faces in Utah.
He denies fleeing from the US to the UK in 2017 and faking his loss of life in a bid to flee arrest.
Rossi spoke in an American accent and informed the listening to in Provo that after transferring to Europe in 2017, he realized of credible threats towards his life in 2020 so modified his identify as a way to stay protected.
Rossi – often known as Nicholas Alahverdian and Nicholas Brown – was extradited to the US originally of the yr following a long-running authorized battle wherein he claimed to be Irish orphan Arthur Knight who had by no means set foot in America.
Rossi, who was arrested whereas being handled for COVID at a Glasgow hospital in December 2021, repeatedly argued he was a sufferer of mistaken identification.
In November 2022, Edinburgh Sheriff Court docket dominated that his tattoos and fingerprints matched these of Rossi.
Rossi had beforehand argued that the tattoos should have been utilized to his physique whereas he was unconscious in hospital.
Rossi is going through costs of raping a 21-year-old girl in Orem in 2008 and raping a 26-year-old girl in Salt Lake County the identical yr.
Picture:
Rossi in 2023. Pic: PA
Throughout this newest listening to over the alleged rape of the 21-year-old, he as soon as once more pleaded not responsible and claimed he realized in 2020 by means of contacts he made whereas working in politics in Rhode Island that there have been credible threats towards his life.
Rossi had been an outspoken critic of Rhode Island’s Division of Youngsters, Youth and Households, testifying earlier than state politicians about being sexually abused and tortured whereas in foster care as a toddler.
He implied the threats have been associated to his work to reform the foster care system however objected to revealing who was threatening him.
“I don’t want to give a mouse cheese,” he mentioned.
Fourth District Choose Derek Pullan briefly closed the courtroom to the general public so Rossi may establish the supply of the threats.
Rossi’s feedback got here as his attorneys unsuccessfully tried to persuade Choose Pullan that he was not a flight threat and that his bail needs to be lowered so he may very well be launched from jail whereas going through prosecution.
Investigator Derek Coates testified Rossi left the US for Eire in 2017 whereas a basis he launched to assist abused youngsters was being investigated for suspected fraud in Ohio by the FBI.
Rossi had an Irish driver’s licence utilizing the identify Nicholas Brown however police there confirmed it was a false identification utilizing a stolen doc, Mr Coates mentioned.
Rossi is determined by oxygen to breathe and makes use of a wheelchair on account of his muscle tissues reportedly turning into weakened by COVID. The defence group argued he needs to be set free of jail partly so he may get bodily remedy to permit him to stroll once more.
Choose Pullan mentioned Rossi’s historical past, and the actual fact his spouse within the UK periodically sends him cash, make him imagine he may very well be a flight threat regardless of his well being issues.
The choose ordered that Rossi be held in jail with out with the ability to put up bail.
