Sycamore Gap latest: ‘Moronic’ vandals to be sentenced after chopping down famous tree

As we wait for the sentencing hearing to begin, a reminder of the impact of the damage to the Sycamore Gap tree.

It was in September 2023 when the tree was chopped down, but for many, it’s still upsetting today.

Dr Carl Hodgetts, from the department of psychology at Royal Holloway, University of London, said: “The felling of the Sycamore Gap Tree had far-reaching emotional impact across the country and world, but particularly in the North-East where it holds deep local significance.

“One of the reasons for this may be because the tree stood for more than 350 years, and likely featured in the spatial and visual models of more than ten generations, thus becoming part of a shared, local cultural memory.

“In this sense, its removal affects not just present-day spatial understanding, but also a collective historical relationship with the landscape.

“The concept of ‘sense of place’, the emotional and cognitive bonds people form with specific locations, is often anchored by prominent landmarks, such as the Sycamore Gap tree.”

This morning, we’re going to hear from the Crown Prosecution Service to begin with. Richard Wright KC will outline the case again to court.

We’re then likely to hear from Daniel Graham’s legal representative Chris Knox and Adam Carruthers’ representative Andrew Gurney.

We expect the pair to be sentenced by Justice Lambert this afternoon.

The court case has been delayed slightly by a legal application now being discussed by the Crown Prosecution Service and defendants’ legal representatives.

We expect Justice Lambert to return to the court very shortly, and the case to begin.

Inside the courtroom, barristers, their legal associates and police officers take up the three rows in the centre.

At the back of the court is the dock, separated by large glass panels from the rest of the room.

The hearing has not yet started, and we await the arrival of Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers.

Inside the court room at Newcastle Crown Court, almost every seat is taken, such is the interest in this high-profile case.

Around 18 journalists are also inside the room, and the public gallery is full.

Northumbria Police have always been reluctant to explain how they came to identify the two, apart from saying it followed “intelligence-led policing”.

Number plate recognition cameras had identified that Daniel Graham’s Range Rover had been driven to a nearby car park at the relevant time.

The movement of Graham’s phone was tracked using network masts and indicated that it had travelled east from the Carlisle area, before being switched off.

And when police recovered his mobile from his jacket pocket, they found a video of the tree being felled on a pitch black night.

That video was enhanced by a digital specialist to make the picture clearer and it proved to be a piece of telling evidence.

A large piece of the Sycamore Gap tree which was felled by Graham and Carruthers is now on public display.

A 6ft section of the trunk was preserved and almost two years later it has been made into a striking installation.

It is on display just two miles from where it once stood, at The Sill: National Landscape Discovery Centre.

Adam Carruthers and Daniel Graham both said they had a very close friendship at the time of the Sycamore Gap felling.

But over the following months, as the police net closed in, cracks started to emerge and by the time the case got to trial, their bond was in tatters.

Both denied responsibility for felling the tree. Graham even accused his friend in a 101 call made to police before the trial.

Summing up the case, prosecutor Richard Wright KC said the odd couple were “in it together from first to last”, and neither was big enough to own up for fear they would be made public enemy number one.

Both Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers face a maximum of 10 years in prison after being found guilty of criminal damage.

The tree was valued at £622,191 by the prosecution in the charge sheets put before the trial.

Tree lawyer Sarah Dodd says the outcome will set a precedent and have an impact on tree law in the UK.

She said: “The sentencing of Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers will be a significant moment, not just for those directly involved, but for everyone who cares about protecting our natural environment.

We have rarely seen prosecutions like this, and the length of sentencing being considered is a clear reflection of the seriousness with which the court views this crime.

It shows that tree protection laws carry real weight, and that damaging our natural heritage is not something that will be tolerated lightly.

Whatever the outcome on the 15th, I hope it sends a powerful message about the need to respect and uphold the legal frameworks in place to safeguard our environment.”

The sentencing hearing will be at Newcastle Crown Court, with both defendants Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers expected in the dock.

At 11am, we expect to hear the prosecution representatives remind judge Mrs Justice Lambert of the evidence.

We’ll then hear from the legal representatives of both Graham and Carruthers.

Then the judge will read out their sentence for the pair.

Both were found guilty of two counts of criminal damage – one to the much-photographed tree and and one to Hadrian’s Wall, which was damaged when the sycamore fell on it.

The maximum sentence for criminal damage is 10 years and aggravating factors include whether it was done to a heritage or cultural asset and evidence of wider impact on the community.

As many people following the trial will remember, a key point was the presentation of a video by the prosecution of a video discovered in Daniel Graham’s mobile phone.

When enhanced, the prosecution, suggested it showed the felling of the Sycamore Gap tree.

Here’s our coverage from the unveiling of the video at the time: