08-05-2025
Sycamore Gap jury retires to consider its verdict
The relationship between the pair
Image source, CPS
Prosecutors said both men were good friends at the time and worked together felling trees.
Both had sought to downplay their skills and experience with chainsaws, with Mr Carruthers' barrister telling jurors his client admitted lying but feared what police would make of him if he admitted he knew his way round a chainsaw.
On 17 August, about a month before the Sycamore Gap felling, Daniel Graham filmed a video of his "best pal" chopping up a tree, one of multiple tree trimming and felling jobs they performed together.
The pair had become close in 2021 when Mr Carruthers fixed a Land Rover which belonged to Mr Graham's dad, ensuring the vehicle was ready for the father's funeral after he took his own life.
Their friendship exploded "spectacularly" however in the aftermath of the felling when, as prosecutors said, the "public revulsion" at their actions became clear to them.
While Mr Carruthers said he had "no clue" who felled the tree, Mr Graham pointed the finger squarely at his once friend.
He said his erstwhile best mate was fascinated with the tree, treasured a piece of string he had used to measure its circumference and had mentioned chopping it down when buying a large chainsaw (all of which Mr Carruthers vehemently denied).
Mr Graham claimed he had not heard of the tree until Mr Carruthers told him about it in 2021, although went on to admit he had reported a car stolen from Steel Rigg, the car park used by visitors to the tree and whoever felled it, the previous December.
He told the court he had been walking in the area but had not known about the world famous tree nearby, and while he had seen the tree in the 1991 movie Robin Hood Prince of Thieves, he had not known where it was filmed.
After initially saying he did not want to "grass" on his friend, Mr Graham deliberately showed police pictures of Mr Carruthers standing next to chainsaws and, when he felt that had not adequately shifted the blame on to his pal, made an anonymous call to officers in August 2024 saying Mr Carruthers had the wedge of wood taken from the tree and the chainsaw used.
Neither of the items nor the guns Mr Graham claimed Mr Carruthers had were found when police carried out a search.
Mr Graham also told jurors Mr Carruthers asked him to take the blame as the police would be more lenient on him because of his "mental health issue", which Mr Carruthers firmly denied.
