US fugitive Nicholas Rossi to remain behind bars after latest freedom bid fails

dailyrecord.co.uk:

US fugitive Nicholas Rossi will remain in prison after his latest bid for freedom was denied by a sheriff.Rossi, who is fighting a bid to return him to the United States to face a number of charges including rape, made a fresh application for bail.But the move was denied by Sheriff Norman McFadyen who heard prosecutors still consider Rossi to be a “flight risk”.The application was made during a bail review hearing at Edinburgh Sheriff Court.Rossi, 35, didn’t appear in person or by video link for the hearing, but was represented by his lawyer Mungo Bovey KC.Mr Bovey asked for Rossi to be allowed to leave the city’s Saughton Prison where he has been held since last July.But bail was opposed by advocate depute Paul Harvey for the Crown who has raised concerns that Rossi may attempt to flee if released.Sheriff McFadyen denied bail at Thursday's hearing, but Rossi can now make another appeal to have his bail status reconsidered.Rossi has failed in several applications for bail since being remanded last summer.He made previous applications in August, October, November, January and last month which were all turned down.During Rossi’s extradition hearing last November, Sheriff McFadyen blasted Rossi’s bizarre claims to be an innocent Irishman called Arthur Knight in his ruling on Rossi’s identity.He then refused Rossi’s bail request, saying it had been established by evidence that he posed a “flight risk” due to use of aliases and the concealing of his true identity.A week-long extradition hearing for Rossi was due to begin last Monday, but Edinburgh Sheriff Court was told Rossi “refused to get in the prison van”.Sheriff McFadyen ultimately adjourned the hearing until June 26 after Mr Bovey argued the defence wasn’t properly