Olivia Pratt-Korbel's killer Thomas Cashman to turn into 'supergrass' as $310K bounty placed on head
DOVECOT, LIVERPOOL: The murderer of Olivia Pratt-Korbel is expected to transform into a "supergrass" once he is imprisoned otherwise he is a "dead man walking." Thomas Cashman, who killed a child, will probably provide authorities with as much information as he can due to worries that British gangs have set a $310K bounty on his head.
The 34-year-old murderer has already been segregated from other inmates for his "own protection" as his minimum 42-year life sentence begins at Strangeways Prison. In August 2022, Cashman fatally shot the young child at their Dovecot, Liverpool, home. Joseph Nee, a 36-year-old drug dealer, was his target. Nee had barged into the building where Pratt-Korbel resided, reports Daily Star.
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'They know he realizes he's a dead man walking'
Cashman, who received a sentence for the murder of Olivia in Dovecot, Liverpool, on August 22, now has a $307,265 bounty on his head, according to an unnamed source, who also claims that he is a "dead man walking." An informant has since verified that a big bounty has been placed on the child killer's head, with the Daily Mail citing a quarter of a million in compensation. According to the insider, the child killer is a "real target" and has a price on his head that would "entice people," and Cashman is sent to spend some time in isolation "for his own sake." Since then, the same source has said that Cashman would have to divulge inside information if he wanted to keep his police protection. The insider stated, "They know he realizes he's a dead man walking."
'Cashman is a real target'
Although it hasn't been confirmed whether Cashman has provided police with information, a gang insider has said there is a good chance the child killer will. They stated, "There's fears he will grass to get an easier life in prison as an informer. And also there's people out for revenge. Cashman is a real target."
Cashman has been described as a man who "knows everything there is to know about organized crime, drugs, and violence" in the Merseyside region in previous statements from the anonymous source. According to another source, Cashman has "nothing to lose" by providing information while he's incarcerated.
What does becoming a supergrass mean?
A supergrass is an informant who provides King's evidence, frequently in exchange for safety and immunity from prosecution, according to British slang. Police informants have been referred to as "grasses" in the criminal underworld of Britain since the late 1930s and the "super" prefix was created by journalists to refer to those who testified against other criminals in a number of high-profile mass trials at the time, as per Wikipedia.
The phrase "supergrass" is specifically used in Northern Ireland to describe paramilitaries who were arrested and who revealed the identities of fellow countrymen to the Royal Ulster Constabulary, presumably in exchange for exemption from prosecution. The Royal Ulster Constabulary's previous Chief Constable, Sir John Hermon, did not dispute rumors that inducements were given, but he refuted claims that sums as high as $62,025 ere involved. The phrase was first used in Northern Ireland with the arrest of Christopher Black in 1981. Black provided statements that resulted in 38 arrests after receiving guarantees that he would be shielded from legal action.
By the end of 1982, 25 other "supergrasses" had emerged, aiding in the arrest of nearly 600 members of paramilitary groups like the Ulster Volunteer Force, the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA), and the Provisional IRA. On April 11,1983, loyalist Ulster Volunteer Force men have sentenced to prison thanks to supergrass Joseph Bennett's testimony. On December 24, 1984, all of these convictions were overturned.
On September 8, 2011, the first supergrass trial in 26 years got underway for the killing of Tommy English, a member of the Ulster Defence Association (UDA). In Northern Ireland, "tout" is a common substitute for "grass." Based on the legislation that permits the use of such evidence, the Police Service of Northern Ireland has declined to use this word and instead prefers the term "assisting offender." Michael Michael was one of the most successful supergrasses in recent British history. Through his testimony in 2001, a £202 million cocaine ring was busted and 32 offenders, including his own mother, were found guilty, reports London Evening Standard.