A suspected fugitive battling extradition to the US on rape and fraud prices nonetheless hasn’t employed a lawyer almost 4 months after being detained in a Scots hospital.
Prosecutors contend the person is Nicholas Rossi, 34, who faked his personal demise in 2020 and fled America to flee an array of alleged offences.
Throughout an extradition listening to at Edinburgh Sheriff Courtroom on Thursday, he once more claimed his title was truly Arthur Knight.
The court docket was informed he hadn’t instructed a legislation agency to characterize him and funding for his authorized defence wasn’t in place.
He was arrested at Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth College Hospital on December 13 final yr whereas receiving remedy for Covid-19 after medical workers have been proven footage of him.
US prosecutors declare Nicholas Rossi raped a 21-year-old in Orem, Utah, in 2008. He's additionally mentioned to have attacked ladies in Rhode Island, Ohio and Massachusetts.
The person claiming to be Arthur Knight attended the listening to in an electrical wheelchair whereas his spouse Miranda carried an oxygen tank related to his respiratory masks.
Defence agent Anna Kocela mentioned she wasn’t showing formally as his solicitor, however to help the court docket. Ms Kocela mentioned “his identification is in dispute on this case”.
She added her legislation agency nonetheless hadn’t been instructed by him and funding was “in query”.
Sheriff Ross requested him if he supposed to instruct the agency.
Talking haltingly by means of his masks, the accused mentioned he was “99.9 per cent” certain he would.
The sheriff requested why he’d not already instructed a lawyer to behave on his behalf.
The suspect replied he’d solely met with the agency’s representatives per week in the past and time was wanted to assessment the case particulars.
Sheriff Ross requested him why months had handed and “you might be solely now getting spherical to instructing a lawyer”.
Amid ongoing confusion over his solutions, Sheriff Ross requested him: “Easy query, have you ever or have you ever not instructed a lawyer?”
The accused replied: “Sure.”
Sheriff Ross requested Ms Kocela in regards to the state of affairs and he or she once more confirmed her agency hadn’t obtained formal directions.
The sheriff mentioned: “There you've it, Mr Knight or Rossi, the legal professionals are saying they don't seem to be instructed.”
He informed the accused his subsequent transfer ought to be to instruct a solicitor “with haste” and set an extra listening to for April 21.
Fiscal depute Clare Kennedy mentioned permitting two weeks for a lawyer to be instructed “appears smart”. She added that the suspect’s earlier legal professionals had withdrawn from appearing for him “a number of weeks earlier”.
Ms Kennedy mentioned the Crown didn’t oppose his bail persevering with because the accused was topic to common visits by police at his Glasgow deal with and wasn’t deemed a flight threat.
Sheriff Ross continued bail and warned the accused, who solely turned up at court docket shortly earlier than noon, that he should be current at 10am for the subsequent listening to.
Outdoors court docket, the accused declined to reply why he hadn’t but employed a lawyer or the place authorized funding would come from.
Authorities within the US say Nicholas Rossi was also called Nicholas Alahverdian in Rhode Island the place he was reportedly concerned in native politics.
US prosecutors say the conman has beforehand used the names Nick Alan, Nicholas Brown, Arthur Brown and Arthur Knight.
Rossi reportedly informed US media in December 2019 that he had late-stage non-Hodgkin lymphoma and had weeks to reside. A number of retailers reported that he had died in February 2020.
Do not miss the newest information from round Scotland and past - Signal as much as our day by day publication right here.