Tony Lundy was a Detective Superintendent within the Metropolitan Police Service, most famous for his involvement in the 'supergrass' trials of criminals in the 1970s and 1980s.
Throughout the 1970s, the supergrass was a feared tool that the police had begun using which is generally considered to have begun with Bertie Smalls, who, faced with a hefty prison sentence for his part in leading his gang of armed robbers, the 'Wembley Mob', decided to turn 'Queen's Evidence' against his fellow thieves which resulted in them receiving heavy prison sentences whilst Smalls was granted immunity from prosecution.
Although after the Smalls trial immunity could no longer be granted, criminals who turned supergrass could expect to be rewarded with the 'supergrass tariff', normally a sentence of around five years, most of which would be spent in police custody.
Smith was involved in a wages snatch in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, along with George Williams, who too turned supergrass.
[1] Lundy was also involved in the initial investigation into Harry MacKenny and John Childs, who was the first serial murderer in modern times to turn supergrass.