Nicholas Rossi, U. S Rape Suspect

 U.S. Rape Suspect Fled Country Before Getting Arrested at Scottish Hospital While Fighting COVID

Nicholas Rossi, who is accused of raping two women in the U.S., went to a hospital in Scotland to be treated for COVID-19 when officials arrested himA judge in Scotland has determined a man in custody is a suspect U.S. authorities had been searching for in a sexual assault case.

Sheriff Norman McFadyen, an Edinburgh judge, ruled on Friday that Nicholas Rossi, 35, is the alleged fugitive on the run from the U.S.

Rossi is accused of raping a 21-year-old Utah woman back in 2008, according to talk radio station Leading Britain's Conversation. He allegedly ran from the U.S. to Scotland and began using the alias Arthur Knight.

Scottish police arrested him while he was battling COVID pneumonitis at  Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow. He was known as "the sickest patient on the ward" by hospital workers, the outlet reported. The International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) had tipped off police in Scotland when it circulated photos of Rossi and his tattoos. Medical workers and police recognized Rossi, leading to his arrest.

According to LBC, Rossi claimed to authorities that he was indeed Knight, a tutor and Irish orphan who never visited the U.S. He denied the sexual assault claims against him, and accused U.S. prosecutors of trying to frame him by putting him in a coma and giving him tattoos that match the suspect authorities had been trying to find.

He said an NHS employee named "Patrick" took his fingerprints to help the U.S. in its alleged attempt to frame him, per the outlet.

However, in his ruling, McFadyen said Rossi's claims were "implausible" and "fanciful," per the BBC.

" I am ultimately satisfied on the balance of probabilities... that Mr Knight is indeed Nicholas Rossi, the person sought for extradition by the United States," he added, BBC reported. Addressing Rossi's alleged name changes, McFadyen said they were "highly suspicious" and "consistent with someone who was hiding from someone or something."

Rossi's wife, Miranda Knight, testified that her husband never appeared to be Rossi. His name is Nicholas Brown on their marriage certificate, according to BBC.