Nicholas Rossi: Health of rape suspect unlikely to be ‘barrier’ in extradition to US, psychiatrist tells court docket

The well being of a rape suspect accused of faking his personal dying shouldn’t be more likely to be a “barrier” for extradition to the US, a court docket has heard.

American authorities need Nicholas Rossi faraway from Scotland to face intercourse costs in Utah.

Dr Kunal Chowdhary assessed him in an Edinburgh jail through video hyperlink in May.

The psychiatrist mentioned he didn’t discover “any evidence” of acute psychological sickness – however when requested by the defence, he agreed Rossi’s persona was “likely disordered”.

Prosecutors later identified that Dr Chowdhary had not formally made any analysis of a persona dysfunction as that may require varied medical opinions.

The 35-year-old continues to insist he isn’t the person that US regulation enforcement companies are searching for.

Despite a sheriff beforehand ruling he’s Nicholas Rossi, the individual within the dock insists he’s Arthur Knight, an Irish orphan who has by no means set foot in America. He has used varied aliases through the years.

Tuesday’s full extradition listening to at Edinburgh Sheriff Court additionally heard Rossi visited a non-public psychiatrist in Bristol in October 2020, who mentioned his signs “almost defy diagnosis”.

Halfway by the day’s proceedings, Rossi’s legal professionals tried to close out the press and public from reporting on the case.

His defence group mentioned the continuing press protection created “a risk of malevolence”.

Sheriff Norman McFadyen rejected the exclusion of the media from court docket – saying it was a “power exercised rarely and cautiously”.

He added that he was “not satisfied” it was applicable on this case.

Rossi was arrested and detained in December 2021 whereas being handled for COVID-19 on the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow – following a world manhunt.

He beforehand prompt that his physique had been tattooed by a rogue NHS worker whereas he was unconscious – making an attempt to create doubt that his physique artwork was an similar match to what was seen on a regulation enforcement purple discover.

The claims have been branded “implausible and scandalous” by a sheriff at a earlier listening to in November 2022.

The extradition case in Edinburgh continues.