An American fugitive who apparently faked his own death will face no further action after being arrested by officers investigating a rape allegation in England.

Nicholas Rossi, who was extradited from Scotland to Utah in January, had been questioned by Essex detectives probing an alleged incident in Chelmsford in 2017.

The 36-year-old had been at the centre of an international manhunt with US officials accusing him of raping a woman in 2008 before setting up his own memorial service years later and fleeing to the UK.

Detectives in Essex were alerted to the historic serious sex attack allegation in Chelmsford two years ago.

Rossi was then detained in custody, questioned by officers and bailed pending further investigations.

Sky News has now learned English prosecutors have ruled there is “no realistic prospect of a conviction”.

A spokesman for Essex Police said: “As part of our investigation, we remained in consistent dialogue with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and its specialist international liaison team.

Woman dies after incident that locked down Glasgow street

Scotland axes universal winter fuel payments for pensioners

Storm repairs and conservation work get under way to preserve St Kilda Kirk

“When our investigation was complete, our findings were submitted to the CPS. We received correspondence from the CPS which set out a decision to take no further action as there was no realistic prospect of a conviction.

“Throughout this stage of the investigation, we have worked determinedly to present the strongest possible legal case and we have remained in consistent dialogue with the victim.”

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Rossi was first arrested after someone recognised him when he was ill with COVID and taken to a Glasgow hospital in December 2021.

A year later, Edinburgh Sheriff Court ruled his tattoos and fingerprints matched those of Rossi – as was featured on an Interpol wanted notice.

He claims his name is Arthur Knight and the saga is a case of mistaken identity.

Read more on Sky News:
‘Breakthrough’ offer could end rail strikes
Labour MP regrets disorder comments

Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News

The case played out over a number of years in Scotland, with Rossi dismissing his legal teams and representing himself as he appeared in court in a wheelchair and oxygen mask.

A judge branded him “as dishonest and deceitful as he is evasive and manipulative” when his extradition to the US was approved last year.

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free

Rossi then was flown to Utah in January this year after failing his appeal.

Related posts:

Rapper Lil Baby arrested in Paris as part of drugs investigation Elon Musk sells all of his seven homes after vow to ‘own no house’ ‘Torso killer’ charged with 1968 murder of woman at New York shopping mall Trump has had a reverse Midas touch while Biden defied political gravity | Dominic Waghorn Taylor Swift shakes off US copyright lawsuit after case dismissed by judge Exiled Chinese businessman with links to former Trump adviser charged in $1bn fraud conspiracy in US Recalled eye drops linked to death, blindness and eyeball removals in US The next US election is a year today. What will decide the outcome? YouTuber who deliberately crashed plane jailed ‘Extreme’ blizzard hits western US burying some areas in 10ft of snow Family infected with roundworms that can travel to brain after eating undercooked bear kebabs Man who attacked Pelosi’s husband found guilty of kidnapping – and could face life in prison