Men who felled ‘iconic' Sycamore Gap tree sentenced
Daniel Graham, 39, and Adam Carruthers, 32, were found guilty of criminal damage after they caused the Sycamore Gap tree to fall onto Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland in September 2023.
The pair used a chainsaw to hack down the 100-year-old tree which crashed into and damaged Hadrian's Wall, a UNESCO world heritage site.
On Tuesday both Graham and Carruthers were sentenced to prison for four years and three months. Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers initially denied involvement in the Sycamore Gap tree's felling. Credit: AAP
During the sentencing, Justice Christina Lambert said that the motive of the two men was not clear, but she believed the outrage following the crime gave them 'some sort of thrill,' the BBC reported.
Justice Lambert said the tree was a landmark and a 'symbol of the untamed beauty' of the surrounding landscape.
In a victim impact statement read to the court, National Trust manager Andrew Poad said the 'iconic tree can never be replaced'.
Mr Poad said the vandalism was 'beyond comprehension' and that the destruction led to an 'overwhelming sense of loss and confusion felt across the world'. The tree sat in a saddle between two hills. Credit: Ian Forsyth / Getty Images
The tree sat in a saddle between two hills and became an iconic location after being featured in Kevin Costner's 1991 film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.
It was a well loved spot and was often the site of marriage proposals.
Scientifically known as Ace pseudoplatanus, the tree is native to central Europe, Italy and western Asia.
It is likely the tree was introduced to the UK by the Romans.
Hadrian's Wall was built by Emperor Hadrian and it stretches about 117km through the north of England from the banks of the River Tyne to Solway Firth.
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