A US fugitive who fought extradition from Scotland after claiming to be the victim of mistaken identity will go on trial accused of rape after prosecutors in Utah withdrew their offer of a plea deal.
Nicholas Rossi was sent back to the US last year following a lengthy court battle in which he claimed to be an Irish orphan named Arthur Knight who had never set foot in America.
In October last year, Rossi admitted for the first time in court that he and Knight were the same person.
Rossi is accused of raping a 21-year-old woman in Orem in 2008 and raping a 26-year-old woman in Salt Lake County during the same year.
He denies all the charges against him.
At a hearing in Provo on Tuesday in regards to the Orem case, fourth district judge Derek P Pullan asked: “My understanding is that there were ongoing settlement discussions. Have those been fruitful or do you need the trial date?”
Defence attorney Daniel Diaz replied: “Your honour, they unfortunately haven’t been fruitful.”
The prosecution confirmed the plea deal was withdrawn, with no further offers expected.
Judge Pullan asked: “We are trying the case, correct?”
Stephen Jones, deputy Utah County attorney, replied: “That is correct, your honour. The state withdrew any plea offer with the understanding it will not be offered again.”
Rossi, who appeared via prison videolink, is now scheduled to go on trial for the Salt Lake County case in April and the Orem case in September.
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Rossi – also known as Nicholas Alahverdian and Nicholas Brown – denies fleeing from the US in 2017 and allegedly faking his death in a bid to escape arrest.
He is instead claiming that after moving to Europe in 2017, he later learned of credible threats against his life so changed his name as a means to remain safe.
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Rossi was arrested while being treated for COVID at a Glasgow hospital in December 2021.
The accused repeatedly argued he was a victim of mistaken identity, but in November 2022, Edinburgh Sheriff Court ruled that his tattoos and fingerprints matched those of Rossi.
Rossi had previously claimed the tattoos must have been applied to his body while he was unconscious in hospital.
He was eventually extradited back to the US in January 2024.
