Fingerprints after Glasgow hospital incident 'confirm man is American fugitive Nicholas Rossi'

Fingerprints taken from a man facing extradition to the United States confirm he is convicted sex offender Nicholas Rossi, a court has heard.

The man, who insists he is Arthur Knight and a victim of mistaken identity, was remanded in custody after pleading not guilty to threatening staff at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow earlier this week.

The 34-year-old appeared in court on Thursday in a wheelchair and wearing an oxygen mask.

Prosecutor Julie Clark told Glasgow Sheriff Court that, while in hospital on the July 5, the accused “was screaming and cursing and getting up from his bed like a raging bull”.

Ms Clark said a consultant was left “trembling in fear” and a doctor and nurse felt unable to come into work the next day because they were too shocked.

Opposing bail, the prosecutor said: “The Crown say he is a serious risk of failing to appear at any hearing and is a substantial risk of re-offending and a substantial risk of obstructing the course of justice.

“He appears today as Arthur Knight, but has previously been identified by medical professionals and civilians as Nicholas Rossi.”

The accused was heard shouting from the dock: “That’s not true.”

Ms Clark went on: “He has at least ten aliases and is known in the US as Nicholas Rossi or Alahverdian and speaks in an American accent.

“He is known by his wife’s family as Nicholas Brown and speaks in an Irish accent. He is recorded at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital as Arthur Winston Brown and identified himself on Tuesday as Arthur Knight and speaks in an English accent.

“Fingerprints taken when he was arrested for this matter earlier this week were confirmed to be Nicholas Rossi.”

US prosecutors say Rossi, a convicted sex offender, faked his own death and fled the United States to evade a rape charge in Utah and allegations of fraud and sexual battery.

Proceedings in Glasgow were briefly stopped on Thursday when the accused said his oxygen tank had “ran out”.

Ms Clark said: “The Crown have received a number of medical reports from doctors involved in his care which state there is no concern related to his lungs.

“The description of seizures given by those who have witnessed them were satisfied they were otherwise faked.”

Defence lawyer Munawar Ali told the court his client was a first offender with no previous convictions and he had not attended two earlier extradition hearings in Edinburgh due to ill health.

Mr Ali added: “He is a suitable candidate for bail. He has a medical reason. We have no written record he is faking anything.”

At one point, his client could be heard saying: “The medical records state I have epilepsy, these are not fake seizures.”

Sheriff Gerard MacMillan decided against bail. He said: “I think there is merit in what the procurator fiscal said. There is a possibility that you may abscond or fail to appear at a hearing. There is a substantial risk of that.”

A trial was scheduled for August, while another hearing to consider the US extradition request is due to take place at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on July 12.