The term supergrass is used in Northern Ireland to refer police informers, typically the arrested paramilitaries who divulged the identities of their compatriots to the Royal Ulster Constabulary in exchange for immunity from prosecution and in many cases substantial sums of money. Many convictions based on supergrass testimony were later overturned, and the supergrass system was discontinued in 1985. Dieu et mon droit (motto) (French for God and my right)2 Northern Irelands location within the UK Languages English (De facto) 3, Irish, Ulster Scots 4 Capital and largest city Belfast First Minister Office suspended Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Peter Hain MP Area  - Total Ranked 4th... The Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) was name of the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2001. ... This article is about the year. ...

The use of the term in Northern Ireland began with the arrest of Christopher Black in 1981. After securing assurances that he would have protection from prosecution, Black gave statements which lead to 38 arrests. On 5 August 1983, 22 members of the Provisional IRA were sentenced to a total of 4,000 years in prison based on Black's testimony. (18 of these convictions were overturned on appeal on 17 July 1986.) Dieu et mon droit (motto) (French for God and my right)2 Northern Irelands location within the UK Languages English (De facto) 3, Irish, Ulster Scots 4 Capital and largest city Belfast First Minister Office suspended Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Peter Hain MP Area  - Total Ranked 4th... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... August 5 is the 217th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (218th in leap years), with 148 days remaining. ... 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA) is a paramilitary group which aimed, through the use of violence, to achieve three goals: (i) British withdrawal from Ireland, (ii) the political unification of Ireland through the merger of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland , and (iii) the creation of an all... July 17 is the 198th day (199th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 167 days remaining. ... 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

By the end of 1982, 25 more 'supergrasses' had surfaced, contributing to the arrests of over 600 people from paramilitary organizations such as the Provisional IRA, the Irish National Liberation Army and the Ulster Volunteer Force. The Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) is an Irish republican paramilitary organization which was formed on December 8, 1974. ... The Ulster Volunteer Force (more commonly referred to as the UVF) is a loyalist paramilitary group in Northern Ireland. ...

On 11 April 1983, 14 members of the loyalist Ulster Volunteer Force were jailed on the evidence of supergrass Joseph Bennett. These convictions were all overturned on 24 December 1984. The last supergrass trial finished on 18 December 1985, when 25 members of the INLA were jailed on the evidence of Harry Kirkpatrick. 24 of these convictions were overturned on 23 December 1986. April 11 is the 101st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (102nd in leap years). ... In general, a loyalist is an individual who is loyal to the powers that be or The Establishment. ... December 24 is the 358th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (359th in leap years). ... 1984 (MCMLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... December 18 is the 352nd day of the year (353rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... December 23 is the 357th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (358th in leap years). ...

The term has been used more recently to describe an informant with al-Qaeda links testifying the trials for seven British men conspiring to cause explosions between January 1, 2003 and March 31, 2004.

The term originated in the UK where informers were often referred to as 'coppers', in relation to the help they provide to police with investigations - the cockney slang for 'copper' is 'grasshopper'. This was eventually shortened to 'grass'. The word 'super' was added to suggest a large scale informer. Cockney rhyming slang is a form of English slang which originated in the East End of London. ...

References

• The Crowned Harp: Policing Northern Ireland — by Graham Ellison and Jim Smyth (2000))
• IRA members jailed for 4,000 years — BBC News article
• Supergrass tells of terror fight BBC News article