Sycamore Gap trial live: Video filmed by defendant shows tree being chopped down, prosecutors tell court
A jury has been shown footage of what prosecutors say is the moment the Sycamore Gap tree was chopped down.
Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers are both charged with two counts of criminal damage relating to the tree and a section of the Roman-built wall it fell on on the night of 27 September 2023.
The pair are accused of driving from Carlisle to the beauty spot in Northumberland, where one used a chainsaw to cut down the tree, while the other filmed the act.
At their trial at Newcastle Crown Court on Wednesday, police analyst Amy Sutherland talked through a video to jurors which apparently shows the moment the tree was felled.
In the footage, an outline of a figure can be seen next to the trunk of a tree before it crashes to the ground. Ms Sutherland said the two-minute and 41-second video was in darkness but that sounds of a chainsaw could be heard.
Opening the case to jurors on Tuesday, prosecutor Richard Wright KC said: 'Whoever filmed the cutting down was as much responsible for the damage to the wall and the tree as the man wielding the chainsaw. They were in it together, and they were Carruthers and Graham.'
Graham, 39, from Carlisle, and Carruthers, 32, from Wigton in Cumbria, deny all the charges against them.
Defendant became a father for the second time less than two weeks before tree was felled, jury told
A series of agreed facts are now being out by Rebecca Brown, junior prosecution counsel.
These are details agreed by all legal parties that can be shared with the jury.
They include the defendants' date of births, and also their children's.
They reveal that Adam Carruthers, 32, became a father for the second time only 12 days before the tree was felled.
Miss Brown says Carruthers had no previous convictions, reprimands, warnings or cautions.
Alex Ross30 April 2025 15:42
Defendant searched 'police statement Sycamore Gap'
As well as searching for the initial suspect, Amy Sutherland, the police analyst, said Daniel Graham also used YouTube to look up 'police statement Sycamore Gap'.
He also did several searches for 'Sycamore Gap', she tells the jury.
Ms Sutherland said Graham looked up an online article about the National Trust creating a replica of the fallen tree using a 3D scan.
She said that the defendants were arrested on October 31 2023 and again on November 3.
Alex Ross30 April 2025 15:13
Accused searched for earlier suspect in Sycamore Gap investigation, jury told
The jury is now being given more information on the what was found on Daniel Graham's phone.
Graham, along with Adam Carruthers, are accused of felling the Sycamore Gap tree.
Police analyst Amy Sutherland tells the jury that Graham's phone showed numerous Google searches for an earlier suspect in the police investigation who was later released with no further action.
She said that between October 3 and October 5 searches were made on Graham's phone for 'Water Renwick' and 'Walter Renwick Plankey Mill'.
Mr Renwick was arrested on September 29 2023 but was later told he would face no further action.
Alex Ross30 April 2025 14:44
Back underway after lunch
Following an adjournment for lunch, the trial is back underway with policy analyst Amy Sutherland giving evidence.
Alex Ross30 April 2025 14:40
'It's on Sky News', defendant tells co-accused, jury told
Following the felling of the tree, the court heard how Daniel Graham sent a voicenote to Adam Carruthers using his nickname, saying: 'Jeffrey, it's gone viral, it's gone worldwide, it will be on ITV News tonight.'
Later, Graham sent another message saying: 'Jeffrey, it's on f****** Sky News as we speak.'
Alex Ross30 April 2025 14:00
'Not a bad angle on that stump' - defendants' messages shared after tree felled
Now we're hearing more on the messages shared between the defendants the day after the Sycamore Gap tree came down on the night of September 27, 2023.
The jury is told by police analyst Amy Sutherland that in one message Graham said to Carruthers: 'Not a bad angle on that stump', adding: 'That's clearly a professional.'
One screenshot sent by Carruthers to Graham showed Facebook comments with a circle around one that said: 'Judging by the quality of the cut and size of tree I would say whoever it was has knowledge of how to fell large trees.'
30 April 2025 13:47
CCTV clip shows vehicle leaving Sycamore Gap tree car park
Another video has now been shown to jurors, this time a CCTV clip taken from the Twice Brewed Inn close to the Sycamore Gap.
It shows vehicle headlights coming from Steel Rigg car park, often used by people visiting the Sycamore Gap tree, at 12.58am on September 28.
Police analyst Amy Sutherland has also said that Daniel Graham's phone connected to the network at 1.29am after being detached at 11.41pm.
Jurors at Newcastle Crown Court are then shown images of a chainsaw and a piece of wood taken at around 2am, with metadata showing they were taken at Graham's home.
Yesterday, it was prosecutor Richard Wright said it was likely the piece of wood was the wedge from cutting the tree, and it could have been kept as a trophy.
Alex Ross30 April 2025 13:28
Full report: Mobile phone video showing 'Sycamore Gap tree felled'
Footage played to the jury of the Sycamore Gap tree allegedly being felled has been released to the media.
You can read our full report on the video here:
Watch: Sycamore Gap video footage of 'tree being chopped down'
Prosecutors say the video was filmed on the mobile phone of Daniel Graham, who is accused alongside Adam Carruthers of felling the Sycamore Gap tree
Alex Ross30 April 2025 13:24
Chainsaw heard buzzing in enhanced version of felling video
The video clip lasts two minutes and 40 seconds and recovered from Graham's phone was played to Newcastle Crown Court twice.
Once showing the dark, raw footage, and a second time after it had been enhanced by a police specialist.
In the enhanced black and white version, with audio of wind blowing and a chainsaw buzzing, a figure can been seen working at the trunk of the tree, before it finally crashes to the ground.
Richard Wright KC, prosecuting, said the original video was enhanced by changing the contrast, putting a border around the frame and brightening the film 'so it could be seen more clearly'.
30 April 2025 12:59
Jury shown video of 'Sycamore Gap tree being felled'
Analyst Amy Sutherland introduced a video to jurors at Newcastle Crown Court which apparently shows the felling of the Sycamore Gap tree.
She said it was taken from a phone which was taken from Daniel Graham's jacket pocket, and was two minutes and 40 seconds long.
She said it was 'in darkness' but that 'sounds of a chainsaw' could be heard.
Ms Sutherland told the court the video was in the downloads on Graham's phone and she had been able to get the coordinates of where it was filmed from the metadata. She said the coordinates were for Sycamore Gap.
30 April 2025 12:31
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