A republican supergrass who has been in hiding for over two decades has vowed to put his life on the line again by returning to Northern Ireland.

Raymond Gilmour (51), who worked as an informer inside the INLA and IRA Derry brigades in the 1980s, said his dire financial situation had forced him to take the potentially deadly decision to return to his native Londonderry.

“I am well aware of what happened to Denis Donaldson in Donegal a few years ago, but I have no other option. I’ll be back in Derry in a few days — of that you can be certain.”

Gilmour, who gave evidence against dozens of alleged IRA members in 1983, claimed his handlers had reneged on promises that he would be looked after financially for life.

He said he wanted to force the issue of his pension back on to the agenda at MI5.

A total of 36 people from Co Derry faced terrorism charges based on Gilmour’s evidence, but the case was thrown out in