"Just a tree"
Remind yourselves of what happened to the Sycamore Gap tree and then read the latest:
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Foto de Andrew Masters en Unsplash
Pair guilty of cutting down Sycamore Gap tree
Two men have been found guilty of the "mindless destruction" of the world famous Sycamore Gap tree, the felling of which sparked international outrage.
The tree had grown in a dip on Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland for more than 100 years before it was cut down in a "moronic mission" in the early hours of 28 September 2023, Newcastle Crown Court heard.
Daniel Michael Graham, 39, from Carlisle, and Adam Carruthers, 32, from Wigton in Cumbria, were each convicted of two counts of criminal damage.
Prosecutors said the pair carried out the "mindless thuggery" as a "bit of a laugh" but, when they realised the public's fury, they were too cowardly to confess.
Jurors took about five hours to reach their verdicts with both men remanded into custody for their "own protection" ahead of sentencing on 15 July.
The value of the tree had previously been estimated at more than £620,000 but that figure was now in dispute - although that would not affect the men's sentence, which could be up to 10 years in prison, the court heard.
The tree had been planted in the late 1800s to be a "feature in the landscape", fulfilling that ambition and more by becoming a much-loved visitor destination and landmark at the former frontier of the Roman empire.
It found global fame after featuring in a scene of the 1991 film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, starring Kevin Costner, and was popular with photographers and artists.
Graham and Carruthers, who had been best friends before falling out "spectacularly" in the aftermath, used the cover of darkness to travel from Cumbria and attack the tree with a chainsaw, jurors heard.
While one cut the tree down, taking less than three minutes to destroy what had taken more than a century to grow, the other filmed it on Graham's phone, with the pair then carrying away a wedge of the trunk as a "trophy".
Prosecutor Richard Wright KC said it had been a "moronic mission" and the men had thought it was "just a tree", while all right-thinking people had been angered and saddened by the "arboreal equivalent of mindless thuggery".
He said the pair initially revelled in the public's outrage but, when they realised they would become public enemy number one, were too scared to admit their actions.
Graham, whose phone and car were tracked going to and from the site, and on whose mobile the felling video had been recorded, had sought to blame Carruthers.
Carruthers, who jurors were told had probably made a "recce" of the remote site earlier in the day, claimed he had "no clue" who did it.
Welcoming the verdicts, the National Trust, which had owned the tree since the 1940s, said the "needless" felling had "shocked" people around the world.
A spokesperson said the tree was an "emblem" of north-east England and was a "backdrop to many personal memories".
They said there would be a "positive legacy" however, with 49 saplings grown from the tree set to be distributed to charities and organisations across the country.
Supt Kevin Waring of Northumbria Police said no explanation had ever been offered for the felling, but "there never could be a justifiable one".
After the verdicts were announced, the court heard there was a dispute over the valuation of the tree although all parties agreed it would not actually affect the sentence the men eventually get, which according to sentencing guidelines could be up to 10 years in prison.
Prosecutors had initially valued the damage to the tree at £622,191, but Graham's barrister, Christopher Knox, said the authorities had since lowered their estimate to about £450,000 while his team reckoned the true figure to be "much lower than that".
Gale Gilchrist, chief crown prosecutor at CPS North East, said the tree had stood for more than a century, adding: "In just under three minutes, Graham and Carruthers ended its historic legacy in a deliberate and mindless act of destruction."
For the love of God, it was just a TREE! Yes, I know it was a beautiful tree and the men shouldn't have cut it down and deserve to be punished for their vandalism BUT can everyone please get a sodding grip? There are rapes and murders that get less media coverage. 🙄 pic.twitter.com/Fexyb84zsi
— Julia Hartley-Brewer (@JuliaHB1) May 9, 2025
Comments
For this kind of situations, people of my village said: “No se puede ser más gilipollas”. I tell you in Spanish because this expressión gives an explanation about this act of these stupid people. I don´t know if in English there is a similar expression, but in Spanish is very clear. What has this tree done these brutes?
I hope both will pass 10 years in prison and that both will pay the value estimated of the tree at more than 620.000 pounds, plus a fine as penalty, because it was an English emblem and international emblem too. You can´t value an amblem. Also this tree is a landmark. This tree reached more than a century, but the Sycamore Gap tree may reach more than 300 years, therefore, they “killed” a young tree. Sycomore is like a ficus and I like it.
I have encountered this image of the Sycamore Gap in X and I send it you because it´s very beautiful. It´s impressive for me.
See you.
Unfortunately, we can find many examples of nasty behaviour all around us, maybe nothing illegal but people seem to enjoy doing bad things.
In situations like this, the people in my village say: “No se puede ser más gilipollas.” I’m telling you in Spanish because this expression perfectly captures the stupidity of these people’s actions. I’m not sure if there’s a similar expression in English, but in Spanish it’s very clear.
What did this tree ever do to those brutes?
I hope they both spend 10 years in prison and are required to pay the estimated value of the tree — over £620,000 — plus an additional fine. This tree was not only a national symbol of England, but also an international one. You can’t really put a price on an emblem. It was also a landmark.
This tree had lived for over a century, but the Sycamore Gap tree might have lived for more than 300 years. So, in a way, they “killed” a young tree. The sycamore is similar to a ficus, and I really like it.
I saw this image of the Sycamore Gap tree on X and wanted to send it to you because it’s so beautiful. I find it truly impressive.
“A judge woman condemns men who cut down the tree of Robin Hood to prison for four years”.
The Sycamore Gap tree apparently appeared in a Robin Hood film from the 90s starring Kevin Costner.
Itried to send you an image of the Sycamore Gap which I encountered in X, but I couldn't do it due to my ineptitude, but I saw last week this news:
“A woman judge condemns men ..."