Cost of Sycamore Gap tree vandals' drunken stunt revealed as pair jailed

Daily Record

3 days ago

Daniel Graham, 39, and Adam Carruthers, 32, were both sentenced to four years and three months in prison for their 'moronic' act of chopping down the Sycamore Gap tree
The reckless act that led to the destruction of the 'irreplaceable' Sycamore Gap tree will cost taxpayers nearly £1m, it has been disclosed.
‌
The 'moronic' pair, Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers, were accused of felling the tree for a senseless 'thrill', and then basking in the media attention, as heard by Newcastle crown court. Both men received prison sentences of four years and three months.
‌
The tree's worth was debated in court, with the prosecution estimating its value at around £458,000, down from an initial estimate of £622,000; Graham's defence argued it should be valued at about £150,000.
‌
The court was informed that the tree's value was approximately £500,000 when considering the impact on tourism and local visitors, though the exact valuation did not significantly affect the sentencing. At their final court appearance, prosecutors described their "moronic mission" to cut down the landmark, with the pair revelling in the outrage in the aftermath.
The damage caused to Hadrian's Wall, a UNESCO World Heritage site, as the tree fell was estimated to be over £7,000. The initial operation to secure the site and manage the tree's felling cost £30,000, reports the Mirror.
The National Trust reported spending £55,000, funds drawn from their charitable donations. An additional £25,000 was spent last year dealing with the aftermath and the significant public response.
Andrew Poad, National Trust manager for Northumberland where the tree was located, stated in a court impact statement that the tree's value was 'incalculable' as it was 'irreplaceable'. He said: "More than £30,000 of our revenue was taken dealing with the incident.
"Another £25,000 was spent in 2025, all from National Trust charitable funds. We worked to mitigate the environmental degradation. It would be almost impossible to quantify the number of hours spent and the staffing costs. The impact has been felt every day, every hour since, staff have been working around the clock."
‌
The fortnight-long trial and exhaustive 18-month police probe is expected to burden taxpayers with costs exceeding £250,000. Graham, 39, from near Carlisle, and Carruthers, 32, of Wigton, both Cumbria, eventually confessed to being behind the crime that stunned the globe.
Carruthers acknowledged operating the chainsaw whilst Graham recorded him on his mobile device, according to admissions made to probation officers ahead of their sentencing at Newcastle Crown Court this week. By that point, their 10-day trial had accumulated court expenses of approximately £3,500 daily.
‌
Three officers were assigned to the 19-month police investigation leading up to the trial. The detective leading the inquiry, DI Calum Meikle, maintained that Northumbria Police's resource allocation was justified.
Legal aid costs for Graham and Carruthers are anticipated to reach £18,674.28, based on a Freedom of Information request. The duo will serve a minimum of 40 per cent of their sentence; the annual cost of their imprisonment totals £44,460.
‌
They will each serve a minimum of 20 months behind bars if they complete the minimum 40 percent of their sentences, adding another £150,000 to the combined cost of their imprisonment.
Hairy Biker Si King, 58, from Northumberland, revealed to the Mirror that the financial expense paled in comparison to the emotional toll.
"I just cannot get my head around it, even now the question is why did they do it? ," he said. "There is no closure because we still do not have an answer to that. It is simply madness; it was a totem somewhere between the celestial world, and the earth. It was so shocking to have that taken away."
‌
Sentencing the two former workmates, Judge Mrs Justice Lambert said: "I am confident that a major factor in your offending was sheer bravado. Felling the tree in the middle of the night and in the middle of a storm gave you some sort of thrill, as did the media coverage of your crimes over the following days.
"You revelled in the coverage, taking evident pride in what you had done, knowing that you were responsible for the crime which so many were talking about. Whether bravado and thrill-seeking provide the complete explanation for what you did, I do not know.
‌
"However, as I say, I am quite sure that you are both equally culpable for the destruction of the tree and for the damage to the wall."
Adam Cormack, head of campaigning at the Woodland Trust, has highlighted the public outcry over a recent crime against nature, emphasising the need for stronger legal safeguards for our 'most special and important trees'. Following a Tree Council and Forest Research review published in April, he stated: "We urge the Government to take forward the recommendations of this report.
"The sentence sends a clear message that gratuitous damage and destruction of trees is unacceptable. The consequences of the felling of this iconic tree are tragic for nature, for our cultural heritage and for these two men and their families."
‌
Sycamore Gap cost breakdown
£500,000 valuation of tree itself, covering loss in tourism, local visitors, cost to the UK and North east economy
£7,000 damage to Hadrian's Wall Unesco World Heritage site
‌
£55,000 National Trust bill (all charitable donations)
£250,000 police/courts: £200,00 police probe, £35,000 crown court costs, collection of evidence, cell site analysis.
Legal aid bill so far: £18,674.
£150,000 prison costs for Graham and Carruthers, based on serving 40 percent of sentence.