**Two Men Convicted for Felling Iconic Sycamore Gap Tree near Hadrian’s Wall**
In a case that has ignited widespread public sympathy and anger, two men from Cumbria have been found guilty of the “deliberate and senseless destruction” of the famed Sycamore Gap tree, which stood for over a century in a dramatic dip along Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland. Newcastle Crown Court delivered its verdict on Friday, bringing to a close a case that has gripped the nation.
The two men, Daniel Graham, 39, and Adam Carruthers, 32, previously close friends, travelled some 30 miles during a stormy night in September 2023 to carry out the act. The court heard that one wielded a chainsaw while the other recorded the event, severing the much-loved tree in the early hours of the morning. The iconic sycamore, which achieved international recognition after appearing in the 1991 film “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves,” was left irreparably damaged atop the historic Hadrian’s Wall, itself a protected monument.
The prosecution emphasised the premeditated nature of the crime, noting the pair then kept a wedge of the tree’s trunk as a grisly memento. The following day, Graham and Carruthers reportedly boasted about their actions, exchanging messages that revealed both a sense of mischief and a gross underestimation of the public outcry that soon erupted. Social media and national news outlets swiftly covered the story, with many expressing their shock and outrage at the loss of the tree, which had been the backdrop for family outings, marriage proposals, and the quiet contemplation of countless visitors.
Days after the felling, investigators pieced together evidence gathered from automatic number plate recognition cameras, which tracked Graham’s Land Rover making the nocturnal journey from Carlisle to Sycamore Gap. Mobile phone location data further placed both men at the scene. Perhaps most damning was a video lasting two minutes and 41 seconds, stored on Graham’s phone, capturing the moment the tree fell. Images of the chainsaw and a cut section of the trunk, though not recovered, further implicated the defendants.
During the week-long trial, the Crown’s counsel pressed the men on their motivations and actions. Messages exchanged after the act showed the pair referencing their “operation”, with Carruthers even jesting that the job looked professionally done. However, as the trial commenced nearly 18 months later, the friendship between Graham and Carruthers had publicly unravelled. Attempts by each man to pin blame on the other further drew public scrutiny, with both citing personal and business difficulties as backlash from their actions grew.
In his testimony, Graham argued that Carruthers had always been obsessed with the tree, at one point calling it “the most famous tree in the world” and at another, using a piece of string to measure its girth. Carruthers, for his part, downplayed the significance, remarking that, to him, it was “just a tree.” The court was unconvinced by their shifting narratives and found both men guilty of two counts of criminal damage—one relating to the tree itself, estimated to be valued at £622,191, and another to Hadrian’s Wall, with damages logged at £1,144.
Legal experts following the proceedings have noted that few cases involving ‘tree crime’ have aroused such national emotion, pointing to the sycamore’s celebrity status and the deliberate nature of the incident. Prosecuting barrister Richard Wright KC summarised the public mood: “Though the tree had grown for over a hundred years, the act of irreparably damaging it was the work of a matter of minutes.”
No reaction was visible from Graham or Carruthers when the jury unanimously delivered the guilty verdict after more than five hours’ deliberation. Sentencing will follow in the coming weeks, as many continue to reflect on the cultural and symbolic loss of the much-loved landmark.
Beyond the courtroom, conservationists and local residents are rallying to honour the site’s legacy and discuss potential steps for restoration, though many acknowledge that the unique silhouette of the Sycamore Gap tree can never be fully replaced. As debate continues, the case stands as a stark illustration of how a single, thoughtless act can shock a nation and rob future generations of their shared heritage.