Men felled much-loved British tree in 'moronic mission', court told

By Michael Holden

LONDON (Reuters) - Two men on a "moronic mission" cut down Britain's 'Sycamore Gap' tree two years ago, felling the much-loved landmark whose dramatic silhouette featured in a Hollywood movie and was photographed by tourists from around the world, prosecutors said on Tuesday. 

The sycamore, estimated to be almost 200 years old, stood at the centre of a dramatic dip in the landscape alongside the historic Hadrian's Wall in northern England, making it a popular spot for photographers, hikers and even marriage proposals or the scattering of ashes.

Such was its fame that it featured in the 1991 film, "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves". Its felling in September 2023 provoked widespread grief and anger.

Prosecutor Richard Wright told Newcastle Crown Court two men, Daniel Graham, 39, and Adam Carruthers, 32, were responsible for the "mindless vandalism", expertly and deliberately cutting it down with a chainsaw and capturing their "moronic mission" on Graham's mobile phone.

The felling also caused damage to part of Hadrian's Wall, built by the Romans almost 2,000 years ago and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

Wright said Graham and Carruthers, who deny chopping down the tree, had travelled together to the site in the Northumberland National Park from their homes in the Carlisle area, about 25 miles away.  

They marked the intended cut using silver spray paint, cut out a wedge to dictate where the tree would fall, and then cut across the trunk, the prosecutor said.

On their return home, Carruthers was sent a video of his young child from his partner to which he replied: "I've got a better video than that". Minutes later a video of the felling was sent from Graham's phone to Carruthers', Wright said. 

The prosecutor said a forensic botanist had concluded that photographs and video found on Graham's phone of a piece of wood next to a chainsaw in the boot of his Range Rover car supported the hypothesis that it was the wedge taken from the Sycamore Gap tree.

"This was perhaps a trophy taken from the scene to remind them of their actions, actions that they appear to have been revelling in," Wright said.

The National Trust, a heritage conservation charity which looks after the site, said last August there were signs of life at the base of the tree, giving hope it might live on.

Graham and Carruthers deny two charges of criminal damage. Their trial continues.

(Reporting by Michael Holden. Editing by Freya Whitworth)