Two men have been found responsible for criminal damage for felling a landmark sycamore tree in northern England. Daniel Graham, 39, and Adam Carruthers, 32, were found guilty of two counts of criminal damage.
On Friday, the UK’s PA media news reports that one is responsible for the tree, and the other is responsible for Hadrian’s Wall, on which the tree fell.
The verdict was granted after a Newcastle Crown Court trial in northeast England. Both Daniel and Adam will be sentenced on July 15. Both men will remain in custody until the judge rules. It’s important to mention that Daniel Graham has already been in custody for his protection since December.
Mrs. Justice Lambert remanded Carruther and said that there is a substantial risk that he would risk to fall into surrender and a risk to his welfare because he has become widely popular in the UK.
The Sycamore Gap Tree has stood on Britain’s Roman-built Hadrian’s Wall for over 200 years before falling in September 2023. The tree was located in the Northumberland National Park in northern England. The tree became famous to millions globally when it appeared in Kevin Costner’s blockbuster movie, “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves”, in 1991.
The tree fell on Hadrian’s Wall, which was built around 1,900 years ago to protect the farthest Northwestern frontier of the Roman Empire.
During the trial, Richard Wright KC, the prosecutor, stated that the felling of the tree was an act of mindless vandalism. The prosecutor provided the details of how the two accused men drove 30 miles at night to reach the tree before one cut it down while the other dealt with it.
The jury resolved that Graham and Adam caused 622,191 Pounds of criminal damage to the Sycamore Gap tree. Additionally, the jury fixed 1,144 Pounds of criminal damage for damaging the Wall, according to PA media.
Jurors heard the details about how the two accused men worked together and had experience in cutting down a large tree. The court was told that the defendants appeared to have fallen out, and their friendship had unravelled.
Graham told the court that Carruthers had told him that the tree was the most famous in the world. Graham also said that Carruthers had suggested him to cutting the tree down.
Graham’s phone was used to film the felling of the tree. Roadside CCTV cameras captured his Range Rover going to and from Steel Rigg. Steel Rigg is the nearest car parking area to the tree.