Man accused of being American fugitive fined for abusing hospital staff

A man accused of being US fugitive Nicholas Rossi was convicted of abusing senior staff at a hospital. Arthur Knight, 35, behaved in a threatening or abusive manner at a ward at Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital on July 5, 2022.

Wheelchair bound Knight jumped out of bed and ran at consultant Evelyn Millar and nurse Yasmin Bagli.

The pair fled from Knight in fear of their safety with nurse Bagli locking herself in another room.

Knight had lashed out after he was told by the pair that he was fit to be discharged home.

Knight - who uses an oxygen mask - had earlier called them derogotary names and told them to "shut the f*** up."

He was found guilty by Sheriff Joseph Platt who stated that the Crown witnesses gave their evidence in an "understated way" and "there was no exaggeration."

The sheriff added: "The evidence that he cannot stand on his legs was not credible standing the evidence of the Crown witnesses."

Knight - a "first offender" of the city's Woodlands - was fined £400.

The charge he was convicted on states Knight goes by other names such as Nicholas Rossi, Nicholas Alahverdian, Nicholas Brown, Arthur Winston Brown and Arthur Knight Brown.

He is on bail from Edinburgh Sheriff Appeal Court where he faces extradition to the USA in relation to an alleged sex attack.

Knight has been stated in court as being a registered sex offender accused of other crimes including fraud and sexual battery.

The court heard from Dr Millar, 58, who stated that her patient was known to her as "Arthur Knight Brown."

She claimed she was able to speak to Knight - who was lying in bed - on her third attempt with nurse Bagli as he was asleep.

Prosecutor Julie Clark asked if the doctor formed an opinion about his accent.

She replied: "I can't really remember, when he spoke he had an oxygen mask on and it's difficult to be clear."

She added that she believed Knight to be immobile and he was initially "quite calm."

The witness said: "I wasn't sure what he was going to say but we listened to him and he made it clear he was not happy with the care we were giving him and not happy about the prospect of being medically discharged home."

Dr Millar stated Knight then made "obscenities" and used the "F word" on a regular basis.

She said: "He became more aggressive and jumped off the bed and that's when I realised he wasn't happy about things.

"He leapt off the bed and started coming towards us - he came off the bed at a very rapid speed.

"As he came towards us, he was inches from our faces, we were utterly terrified, we thought he was coming to harm us.

"Yasmin said 'run' and I said 'yes' and we literally ran from the room - it was extremely frightening."

Miss Clark asked if Knight had his oxygen mask on.

Dr Millar replied: "As he came towards us the mask came off, he was saying a lot without the oxygen mask being on."

Miss Clark then asked what the witness believed caused the incident.

She replied: "I don't think he wanted to be discharged home - that's my opinion or not happy with our plan for discharge."

The witness stated that she and nurse Bagli were sent home from work and did not return for two days.

David Kinloch, defending, said: "Is it possible the reason he had, assuming on your evidence he was shouting, swearing and jumping out of bed, is that he was suffering from a seizure?"

Dr Millar replied: "I'm quite confident it wasn't a seizure."

Nurse Bagli, 27, told the court that Knight had been admitted to A and E for "coloristic chest pain and seizures."

She claimed that Knight told them to "shut the f*** up" when it was revealed he would be discharged.

The witness claimed that she ran as she thought she was "going to be put in harm."

The nurse stated that she locked herself in a different ward for her safety after the incident.

She added that she returned to Knight's room five minutes later where he was "sitting on the floor" and shouting.

Knight in his evidence told the court that he was an academic in ancient civilisation and an author.

He stated that he was "upset" with Dr Millar about the way his wife Miranda was spoken to.

Knight stated he called the doctor to his room to discuss his medication and had no issues about being discharged.

He added that he "pushed" himself from his bed with his elbows and used his elbows to go to the room door.

Mr Kinloch put it to Knight that he was "shouting aggressively, swearing" and calling the nurses derogatory names.

He replied: "That's false."

Miss Clark, in cross examination, asked why the medics screamed and ran from the room.

Knight replied: "I'm afraid the answer to that is unknown."

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