Latest news with #Carruthers
Ottawa Citizen
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Ottawa Citizen
Bluesfest's lost and found turns up some really weird stuff
Wallets, phones and jewelry are some of things you'd expect to find in an average Lost and Found bin. Article content But Bluesfest volunteers have shared a lot of good laughs over some of the other bizarre things patrons have brought in with them. Article content For the most part, Kathryn Carruthers, who's been volunteering with Bluesfest for more than 15 years, said this year's festival brought up one really odd item: a small zippered bag filled with vomit. Article content She called that find 'rather disgusting.' Article content Article content Over the years, Carruthers says, the Lost and Found bin has contained rather intimate items as well. 'We get things that shouldn't be off people's bodies,' she said, such as underwear and other clothing. Article content Hannah Greave, another volunteer at Bluesfest's administrative department for about four years, said they also received a single cowboy boot turned in this year. Article content 'That's a new one,' she said. 'That's been the funniest thing so far this year.' Article content Long after a concert's over and people begin heading home, Greave says they collect plenty of lawn chairs, especially last year. Article content 'How do you forget and lose a whole lawn chair?' she said. Article content Greave recalled one year when a gas mask turned up. Article content 'It looked like the old-school gas masks that people wore,' she said, wondering why anyone would bring a gas mask to a Bluesfest concert in July. Article content Article content 'What's the thought process of wearing that to the festival?' she said. 'A cosmetic purpose?' Article content At the end of the day, Greave said, they're always happy to give people their belongings back. Article content 'People are very, very relieved when we have the things that they need,' she said. 'We like people getting their things back.' Article content When the venue begins to get cleaned up towards the end of the festival, Carruthers said, they end up finding and collecting even more wallets, identification cards and phones left behind. Article content 'A lot of the time, things will be tucked under a tent,' she said. 'When the site's being cleaned up and torn down, we get a lot of stuff turned in.'
Daily Record
4 days ago
- Daily Record
Cost of Sycamore Gap tree vandals' drunken stunt revealed as pair jailed
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.
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Sycamore Gap 'drunken stunt' cost to taxypayer revealed as 'moronic' duo jailed
Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers chopped down the tree for a mindless 'thrill' and then revelled in media coverage. Both were jailed for four years and three months. The drunken stunt that destroyed the 'irreplaceable' Sycamore Gap tree will cost taxpayers almost £1m, it has been revealed. "Moronic' duo Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers chopped down the tree for a mindless 'thrill' and then revelled in the media coverage, Newcastle crown court heard. They were both locked up for four years and three months. The value of the tree was disputed in court with the prosecution saying it was worth about £458,000 after an initial estimate of £622,000; Graham's team claimed it should only be valued about £150,000. The court heard its value was around £500,000 when the impact on tourism and visitors to the local area were taken into account. The exact value did not unduly influence sentencing. The damage to Hadrian's Wall as the tree fell, a world Unesco heritage site, was valued at more than £7,000. The initial operation to secure the site and deal with the felling of the tree was £30,000. The National Trust calculated that they had spent £55,000, all money taken out of their charitable donations. Another £25,000 was spent last year on the aftermath as they dealt with the huge public reaction. Andrew Poad, National Trust manager for Northumberland where the tree stood, said in an impact statement to the court that the value of three was 'incalculable' because 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 two week trial and extensive 18-month police investigation is likely to cost the taxpayer in excess of £250,000. Graham, 39, from near Carlisle, and Carruthers, 32, of Wigton, both Cumbria, finally admitted that they were responsible for the crime which shocked the world. Carruthers admitted wielding the chainsaw as Graham filmed him on his own mobile phone in confessions to probation officers before they were sentenced at Newcastle crown court this week. By then, their 10-day trial had racked up court costs of around £3,500 per day. There were three officers working on the inquiry for the 19 month police inquiry prior to the trial. The man in charge of the investigation, DI Calum Meikle, insisted that the use of Northumbria Police time was appropriate. The legal aid bill for Graham and Carruthers is expected to hit £18,674.28, according to a FoI request. The pair are going to serve at least 40 percent of their sentence; the cost of keeping them behind bars for a year is £44,460. They will each spend at least 20 months in prison if they serve the minimum of 40 percent of their sentences, bringing the combined bill for their incarceration to another £150,000. Hairy Biker Si King, 58, a native of Northumberland, told the Mirror that the financial bill was outweighed by the emotional cost. "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, the head of campaigning for the Woodland Trust, said the public response to the crime showed that we have to improve legal protections for our 'most special and important trees' A Tree Council and Forest Research review of that protection was published in April. He added: "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. Total: £980,674.
Daily Record
5 days ago
- Daily Record
Sycamore Gap duo told court it was 'just a tree' and 'didn't understand the fuss'
Daniel Graham, 39, and Adam Carruthers, 32, have been jailed for four years and three months after cutting down the iconic sycamore tree in a fold in the Northumberland landscape. The infamous Sycamore Gap tree, a beloved Northumberland landmark, was felled in an act of "sheer bravado" by two men who have since been jailed. Their fleeting yet "moronic" act of destruction against the century-old tree has etched itself into local memory. The duo, previously on friendly terms with the community, became notorious: Daniel Graham, 39, dubbed "the man with no friends", and Adam Carruthers, 32, known as "the man with no brains". Graham eventually betrayed Carruthers, informing the police that his accomplice was responsible for toppling the iconic tree in September 2023. Both men received a sentence of four years and three months for criminal damage to the tree and additional harm to Hadrian's Wall, which was struck by the sycamore as it fell. During the trial at Newcastle Crown Court, it emerged that the pair had journeyed over 40 minutes from their Cumbria residences and navigated through a stormy, pitch-black moorland to commit the vandalism. They even removed a wedge from the tree as a souvenir and basked in the subsequent national and international media attention, with recordings of their boastful voice notes presented in court. The question remains: what motivated these individuals to execute such a deed, and can it be dismissed merely as a "drunken prank"?, reports the Mirror. Speaking in Graham's defence, Chris Knox informed the court: "He is a troubled man who has had very real difficulties in his life, which have not all been of his own making." Residents from the locality recall Graham as a typical youngster prior to his parents' separation, which allegedly "sent him off the rails," the BBC reports. His father, Michael, tragically ended his own life in 2021, a devastating event which Graham discussed whilst testifying in court regarding his mental health battles. For the previous decade, the vandal had been living in a static caravan situated on a piece of land just beyond Carlisle, on the edges of Kirkandrews-upon-Eden. Operating from this remote lane at a site called Millbeck Stables, he ran his business, DM Graham Groundworks. Journalist Kevin Donald characterised the location as "a strange little shanty". "It's got a caravan, horses on the land and pillars at the entrance with lions on the top," he explained. Following his remand in custody, both his residence and the enterprise he conducted from there came under attack, his barrister revealed. Harold Bowron, Chairman of the village's Parish Hall Committee, described Graham as "a man of mystery, a bit of an odd-bod". His friendship with Carruthers began in 2021 after Graham had assisted him with work. Carruthers, who resided in a caravan with his partner at Kirkbride Airfield, had fixed a Land Rover used at Graham's father's funeral. In court, Carruthers attempted to cast himself as a dedicated new father, asserting that he was at home with his partner Amy when the tree was chopped down. In their defence, the duo presented a lacklustre justification for the notorious tree cutting, dismissing it as a drunken jest. Despite their lawyer's claim that the incident was merely "no more than drunken stupidity", this explanation failed to sway either the prosecution or the judge. Andrew Gurney, representing Adam Carruthers, pressed: "People want to know why? Why did you conduct this mindless act? Unfortunately, it is no more than drunken stupidity. "He felled that tree and it is something he will regret for the rest of his life. There's no better explanation than that." On Tuesday, Mrs Justice Lambert sentenced the pair, noting that while their motive remained murky, a significant element appeared to be "sheer bravado". Addressing the defendants, she said: "Felling the tree in the middle of the night in a storm gave you some sort of thrill. You revelled in the coverage, taking pride in what you have done, knowing you were responsible for the crime so many people were talking about. "Whether that was the sole explanation for what you did, I do not know, however I know you are both equally culpable." In a voicenote, Graham boasted: "It's gone viral, it is worldwide." Later, Graham messaged: "Jeffrey, it's on f***ing Sky News as we speak." Carruthers received a video from Graham showing the Sky News ticker. In a subsequent text, Graham remarked to Carruthers: "Not a bad angle on that stump", and complimented: "That's clearly a professional." The duo also exchanged Facebook comment screenshots regarding the vandalism, highlighting one that read: "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." Beneath this, a comment from Kevin Hartness stated: "Some weak people that walk this earth disgusting behaviour." The court heard a voicenote from Graham to Carruthers about this comment, in which he said: "That Kevin Hartness comment. Weak... f****** weak? Does he realise how heavy s**t is?'". Carruthers responded with a voice note of his own, saying: "'I'd like to see Kevin Hartness launch an operation like we did last night... I don't think he's got the minerals." Although initially appearing to be in cahoots, Graham later changed his tune, pointing the finger at Carruthers as the instigator. He claimed to have kept a piece of the tree as a 'trophy', but when Carruthers was questioned during cross-examination at the trial about whether he had retained a trunk segment as a keepsake for his newborn daughter, he refuted the claim. Carruthers had previously felled a tree to commemorate the birth of his first daughter, Charlie, on 5 September 2018. He aimed to outdo himself for his second child, Olivia, by taking a piece from the renowned sycamore. Like Graham, he spun a web of feeble excuses to conceal his reckless act, telling the court it was "just a tree" and that he "did not understand" the media uproar. Yet, it was evident he harboured a peculiar fascination with the Sycamore Gap tree, keeping in his workshop a piece of string used to measure its girth, biding his time until he would chop it down. The opportune moment for Carruthers arrived following the birth of Olivia. Merely 12 days after, he and Graham embarked in a black Range Rover to claim a "trophy" for her, a slice from the trunk of what Carruthers dubbed: "The most famous tree in the world." The accused were once tight-knit pals but have since become estranged post-arrest, with Graham betraying Carruthers. The police were tipped off about the duo's involvement in the offence, and Graham became the target of a vicious social media backlash. He was compelled to erase his name from his business vehicles and, in a covert call to Northumbria Police, identified Carruthers as the individual responsible for felling the tree. When the court proceedings initially began, the duo arrived together, both donning balaclavas to conceal their faces. However, it wasn't long before Graham appeared solo, opting to forego any disguise. During his trial testimony, Graham conceded that he and Carruthers had once been close but insisted he now had 'no friends'. "You could say I am anti-social," he declared. "I don't have much time for people." He alleged that on the evening the tree was chopped down, his car and phone were used without his consent. ANPR cameras captured Graham's Range Rover travelling between Carlisle and Sycamore Gap on the night of September 27, 2023, and recorded its return journey the following morning. His mobile phone was also tracked to masts along the same route. The judge stated that based on confessions made in their pre-sentence reports, she was convinced that Carruthers was the one who cut down the Sycamore Gap tree while Graham drove him there and recorded the act on his phone. Addressing them, she said: "Adam Carruthers, you told a probation officer you had no idea why you carried out the crime and could offer no explanation. You said you had drunk a bottle of whisky after a tough day and everything was a blur. "Daniel Graham, as during the trial, your main focus seemed to be to heap as much blame as possible on your co-defendant. You now accept you were present but blame him for what happened that night." The judge continued: "You told the probation officer it was (Carruthers') 'dream and his show' and you just went along with it." Mrs Justice Lambert stated: "Although there may be grains of truth in what you said, I do not accept your explanations are wholly honest or the whole story. "Adam Carruthers, your account that you had so much to drink that you had no memory of what happened is not plausible. The tree felling demonstrated skill and required deliberate and co-ordinated actions by you... It was not the work of someone whose actions were significantly impaired through drink. "Nor, Daniel Graham, do I accept you just went along with your co-defendant. You filmed the whole event, you took photos of the chainsaw and wedge of trunk in the boot of your Range Rover. The next day, you appeared to revel in coverage of your actions in the media. This is not the behaviour of someone who is shocked and horrified by what has happened." In the lead up to his 'moronic mission', Graham harboured resentment towards authorities who denied his request to reside near Hadrian's Wall, finding himself embroiled in a contentious planning dispute with his local council. Cumberland Council issued an enforcement notice for his home and business premises at Millbeck Stables, located on the fringes of Carlisle, Cumbria, within the 'buffer zone' of Hadrian's Wall's UNESCO World Heritage site. Residents and planning officials from Beaumont Parish Council, a secluded rural community in Cumbria, recounted feeling intimidated by Graham's 'dominant and oppressive behaviour'. His retrospective application to live on the site of his Millbeck Stables was rejected by the council, and he was warned of potential eviction. He was given until October 28, 2025, to secure 'other accommodation', but his immediate future will now be spent behind bars. This decision implies that Graham will be without a home upon his release from prison. A final rejection letter was issued in April 2023, and the Sycamore Gap tree was cut down just over five months later. Several locals opposed his application to live on the site, and speculate that his anger towards authority may have fuelled his criminal act.
Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Bizarre story of Sycamore gap duo and moment that 'tipped them over the edge'
Former friends turned enemies, Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers, were convicted of criminal damage to the immensely popular Sycamore Gap tree, which they claimed was felled in a 'drunken prank' The two men who cut down the famous tree at Sycamore Gap out of "sheer bravado" have now been put behind bars. But their three-minute "moronic" destruction of the much-loved tree, which had stood for more than 100 years in a fold in the Northumberland landscape, will never be forgotten. The two were once pals with locals saying the plot saw "the man with no friends" - Daniel Graham, 39 - team up with "the man with no brains", Adam Carruthers, 32. Graham soon turned on Carruthers, tipping police off that he had cut down the iconic landmark in September 2023. The pair, who were each jailed for four years and three months, were convicted of criminal damage to the tree along with criminal damage to Hadrian's Wall, caused when the sycamore fell on the ancient monument. Newcastle Crown Court heard the pair had travelled more than 40 minutes from their homes in Cumbria, then carried their equipment across pitch-black moorland during a storm to carry out the act of vandalism. A wedge, which still hasn't been recovered, was taken from the tree as a trophy, while they revelled in national and international media coverage following the wrecking. So what drew the pair to carry out the felling? And was it more than just a "drunken prank"? Motive riddle Defending their case, the pair offered an underwhelming excuse for the infamous felling, claiming that it was a drunken prank. Despite their defence arguing that the act was "no more than drunken stupidity", neither the prosecution nor the judge were convinced. Andrew Gurney, for Adam Carruthers, insisted: 'People want to know why? Why did you conduct this mindless act? Unfortunately, it is no more than drunken stupidity. 'He felled that tree and it is something he will regret for the rest of his life. There's no better explanation than that.' On Tuesday Mrs Justice Lambert jailed the pair, saying their motivation was still not clear but a large factor seemed to be 'sheer bravado'. She told the defendants: 'Felling the tree in the middle of the night in a storm gave you some sort of thrill. You revelled in the coverage, taking pride in what you have done, knowing you were responsible for the crime so many people were talking about. 'Whether that was the sole explanation for what you did, I do not know, however I know you are both equally culpable.' Graham said that Carruthers had kept part of the tree as a 'trophy'. That accusation was put to Carruthers when he was asked under cross examination at the trial if he had kept a section of the trunk as a souvenir for his newborn daughter. It is believed that Carruthers had also cut down a tree to mark the birth of his first born daughter Charlie on Sept. 5, 2018. He wanted to go 'one better' for his second child Olivia and take a piece of the iconic sycamore. Like Graham, he had offered a series of pathetic lies to cover up his senseless crime, telling jurors that it was "just a tree" and he "did not understand" all the headlines. However, it was apparent he formed a "strange interest" in the Sycamore Gap tree, and in his workshop kept a length of string which he'd used to measure the circumference, knowing that when the time was right, he would cut it down. The "right time" for Carruthers came when Olivia, his second child, was born. Just 12 days later he and Graham set out in a black Range Rover to retrieve a "trophy" for her, a wedge cut from the trunk of what Carruthers called: "The most famous tree in the world." Friends to enemies The defendants were once close friends but have fallen out since their arrests, with Graham turning on Carruthers. Detectives received a call naming both the men responsible for the crime, and Graham found himself at the centre of a social media storm of abuse. He was forced to remove his name from his business vehicles and, in an anonymous phone call to Northumbria Police, named Carruthers as the man who had cut down the tree. When court proceedings first commenced, the pair turned up together, both dressed in balaclavas to hide their identities. But soon enough, Graham turned up alone, without any face covering. Giving evidence at his trial, Graham admitted he and Carruthers had been close but claimed he had 'no friends'. "You could say I am anti-social," he said. "I don't have much time for people." He claimed he had taken his car and phone without his permission on the night the tree was cut down. Graham's Range Rover was picked up on automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras between Carlisle and Sycamore Gap at night on September 27 2023, and returning early the next morning. His mobile was traced to phone masts making the same journey. The judge said that, after admissions they had both made in pre-sentence reports, she could now be sure that Carruthers cut the Sycamore Gap tree down while Graham drove him there and filmed it on his phone. She told them: 'Adam Carruthers, you told a probation officer you had no idea why you carried out the crime and could offer no explanation. You said you had drunk a bottle of whisky after a tough day and everything was a blur. 'Daniel Graham, as during the trial, your main focus seemed to be to heap as much blame as possible on your co-defendant. You now accept you were present but blame him for what happened that night.' The judge went on to say: 'You told the probation officer it was (Carruthers') 'dream and his show' and you just went along with it.' Mrs Justice Lambert said: 'Although there may be grains of truth in what you said, I do not accept your explanations are wholly honest or the whole story. 'Adam Carruthers, your account that you had so much to drink that you had no memory of what happened is not plausible. The tree felling demonstrated skill and required deliberate and co-ordinated actions by you… It was not the work of someone whose actions were significantly impaired through drink. 'Nor, Daniel Graham, do I accept you just went along with your co-defendant. You filmed the whole event, you took photos of the chainsaw and wedge of trunk in the boot of your Range Rover. The next day, you appeared to revel in coverage of your actions in the media. 'This is not the behaviour of someone who is shocked and horrified by what has happened.' Vandal's grudge Carruthers tried to portray himself as a devoted dad and claimed that he was at home with partner Amy on the night the tree was cut down. But he could come up with no explanation for the series of texts and voice note messages he and Graham exchanged. Chris Knox, defending Graham, said: 'He is a troubled man who has had very real difficulties in his life, which have not all been of his own making.' His home, and the business he operated from it, were attacked after he was remanded in custody, anxd windows broken, the barrister said. Meanwhile, in the run up to the 'moronic mission', Graham held a grudge against authorities who rejected his bid to live near Hadrian's Wall and was locked in a bitter planning dispute with his local council. He was issued with an enforcement notice by Cumberland Council for his home and business premises at Millbeck Stables on the edge of Carlisle, Cumbria, within Hadrian's Wall 's UNESCO World Heritage site 'buffer zone'. Residents and planning officials from Beaumont Parish Council, a remote Cumbrian rural community, told how they felt threatened by Graham's 'dominant and oppressive behaviour'. The council rejected his retrospective bid to live on the site of his Millbeck Stables and warned he faced eviction. He was told he had until October 28, 2025, to find 'other accommodation', but he'll now be living out the next few years in prison. But the decision means Graham will have no home to come back to when he is released from his sentence. A final letter of refusal was made in April, 2023,with the Sycamore Gap tree felled little more than five months later. Several locals objected to his application to live on the site, and believe his rage against authority may have been part of his motivation for the crime.
