Supergrass fears for life as he puts gangsters in jail
UK’s biggest informer sees 29 go down
BRITAIN’S biggest supergrass will have a target on his back for life after giving evidence that jailed 29 gangsters for more than 250 years.
Mr X entered into an agreement with prosecutors to expose many of the most dangerous underworld figures because he feared he was about to be killed.
He had run up debts and then stolen cocaine stashes in a bid to fix his money troubles.
After being so brutally beaten by gangsters that he had to have his spleen removed, he agreed to help police.
In 2015 Mr X stole two huge batches of cocaine to clear six-figure drug debts, for which he was kidnapped. Enforcers attempted to cut off his ear with a Stanley knife and threatened to remove his testicles with pliers.
Terrified, he managed to message his sister who alerted police.
During 115 recorded interviews he told detectives everything he knew.
Over the past five years Mr X has given evidence at six major gangland trials, codenamed Operation Lavender.
A judge told him: “If your life wasn’t in danger before, I am absolutely certain that it is now.”
He provided 10,000 pages of documents on elusive international organised crime gangs.
One major gain for police came after Mr X betrayed gang chief David Gloyne, 47, from County Durham, and the man “at the top” Yvan Nikolic, 57, a gun-toting Yugoslavian-born crime boss living in a luxurious Marbella villa. They were implicated in a £4million shipment and both jailed last month for 21 years.
Mr X started feeding police information in November 2015 but stopped in April 2016 when it became too dangerous.
Crimes
In September 2016, having been charged with serious drug dealing offences, he entered into a formal agreement as a Covert Human Intelligence Source.
Mr X had been facing 14 years behind bars for his own litany of crimes but has now walked free after County Durham Police kept him in hiding.
His exploits can only be revealed today after court reporting restrictions were lifted at midnight. Others convicted after
police followed leads from Mr X include Alan Smart (jailed for life for arson attacks), John Freeman (three years for assault), David Murphy (10 years for drug dealing), James Ratcliff (22 years for firearms offences).
Others included Stuart Gooden (10 years for drug dealing), Ian Ramshaw (five years for drug dealing), James Murphy (six years for drug dealing) and David Roberts (three years for arson).
Police can now begin clawing back millions from the gangs under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
His explosive revelations mean he remains at a secret location.
The name of his lawyer cannot be released and death threats have been made to his mother and sister, who are now also in hiding.
Appearing at Teesside Crown Court, the career criminal was sentenced to 15 months imprisonment, which was suspended for two years.
Judge Deborah Sherwin told him: “It is believed the assistance you have provided is the greatest ever provided in this country.
“Wherever you live you will spend your life having to look over your shoulder and in fear.”