**Two Men Stand Trial for Felling Iconic Sycamore Gap Tree in ‘Moronic Mission’, Newcastle Court Told**
Two men are facing trial at Newcastle Crown Court after allegedly embarking on what prosecutors have described as a “moronic mission” to fell the much-beloved Sycamore Gap tree in Northumberland. The prosecution claims Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers deliberately and expertly cut down the famous tree, filming their actions on a mobile phone and causing more than £622,000 worth of criminal damage.
The Sycamore Gap tree, which stood beside Hadrian’s Wall and was considered one of the most photographed trees in the United Kingdom, had been a popular landmark for over a century. Upon opening the case for the prosecution, Richard Wright KC described the felling as a calculated act that took only minutes to destroy something that had grown for over 100 years.
The court was told how Graham, 39, of Millbeck Stables, Carlisle, and Carruthers, 32, of Church Street, Wigton, Cumbria, travelled late on the evening of 27 September 2023 from Carlisle to the Sycamore Gap in a Range Rover registered to Graham. Prosecutors allege that, once there, the pair used a chainsaw to bring down the splendid sycamore, with the resulting fall striking Hadrian’s Wall and causing additional damage estimated at £1,144. Both the wall and the felled tree are owned by the National Trust and the wall is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, amplifying public outrage over the incident.
According to evidence presented to the jury, the defendants carefully marked the intended cut on the trunk with silver spray paint, then executed a skilled wedge cut to direct the tree’s fall—a method, experts testify, that shows knowledge and planning in tree felling. As this act unfolded, one of the defendants recorded the operation using Graham’s mobile phone, capturing both video and still images.
Investigators later discovered a piece of wood consistent with Sycamore Gap timber in the boot of Graham’s vehicle beside a chainsaw, and forensic experts have testified that “very strong evidence” supports the hypothesis that this piece was removed as a macabre trophy. Further, police found a chainsaw blade and cover at Graham’s home, and a chainsaw at Carruthers’, though neither could be definitively identified as the one used in the crime—a sign, the prosecution argues, that the defendants took steps to hide incriminating evidence.
The prosecution alleged that, in the immediate aftermath, Carruthers and Graham exchanged mocking social media messages about the widespread news coverage, with Graham referring to the event as “here we go” and the pair referencing the “operation like we did last night” in subsequent voice messages. These communications, prosecutors told the jury, are clear admissions of their responsibility.
Both men deny two counts each of criminal damage—one relating to the tree and the other to Hadrian’s Wall. The case has generated significant public interest, both for the loss of an iconic natural monument as well as for the seriousness of the damage to an ancient, protected site.
Mr Wright concluded his opening remarks by noting that the method and speed of the felling points towards expertise, and that both defendants have backgrounds providing them access to the tools and knowledge required for such a task. Graham runs a groundwork business, with Carruthers working in property maintenance and mechanics—skills the prosecutor suggests are consistent with the knowledge required for effective tree felling.
As the trial continues, jurors will be asked to consider a range of physical evidence, including digital material retrieved from mobile phones, forensic botanical analysis, and messages exchanged between the two men in the days following the tree’s destruction. The saga has prompted widespread debate about protecting cultural and natural heritage, with the National Trust lamenting the irreparable loss.
The trial is ongoing and both men maintain their innocence. The case is expected to continue in the coming days as more evidence is presented and the defence begins to make its arguments.