United Kingdom: Two men on trial for the "senseless" felling of the legendary Sycamore Gap Tree

"A deliberate and reckless criminal act." The words of prosecutor Richard Wright, at the opening of the trial of two men prosecuted for the felling of a tree, reflect the intensity of the indignation aroused in England in September 2023. For this was not just any trunk, but that of the Sycamore Gap Tree , a majestic maple more than two centuries old, emblematic of British heritage and rooted in the landscape of Hadrian's Wall.

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Presented at the Newcastle court in northern England, the two defendants, Daniel Graham, 39, and Adam Carruthers, 32, are being tried for a "stupid mission" involving "senseless criminal damage," the prosecutor told jurors on Tuesday. On the night of September 27, 2023, the accomplices took the car and walked for a good twenty minutes before arriving at the historic site , a remnant of the conflict between the Romans and Scottish tribes. Chainsaw in one hand, phone in the other. The maple tree planted at the end of the 19th century collapsed in a very short time, partly on Hadrian's Wall. Proud, they even left with a piece of the trunk as a trophy.

Both formally deny the charges against them and shift the blame. However, a video found on Daniel Graham's phone, played during the hearing, leaves little room for doubt. Lasting 2 minutes and 40 seconds, the footage shows the silhouette of a person using a chainsaw and the tree collapsing. The text message exchange between the two men, the day after the events, when the United Kingdom was shocked by the discovery of the Sycamore Gap lying on the ground, dispelled any remaining doubts. "It's gone viral, worldwide. It'll be on the news tonight," Daniel Graham texted Adam Carruthers. "They love it, they revel in it […] and find it funny, clever, or impressive," the prosecutor castigated.

When a Facebook comment from a user called the perpetrators of such an act "weak people," the former sent to the latter: "Weak... fucking weak? Does he realize how heavy this shit is?" Carruthers then replied: "I would like to see him launch an operation like we did last night... I don't think he has the means." "This is the clearest confirmation, in their own words, that Carruthers and Graham were both responsible for the deliberate felling of the tree and the subsequent damage to Hadrian's Wall," the British prosecutor said. The damage was also estimated at more than €720,000 for the maple tree, and €1,000 for the wall, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

"The technique they used demonstrates their expertise and a determined and deliberate approach to felling," Wright continued. Another piece of evidence is a photo showing a piece of wood next to a chainsaw in the trunk of David Graham's Range Rover, which was spotted in the parking lot near the site by CCTV. Graham claims his car and phone were used without his knowledge.

Extremely famous, a place of weddings and family memories, the subject of millions of photos, the Sycamore Gap Tree was voted "Tree of the Year" in 2016. It has even appeared in numerous films and TV series, including Kevin Costner's Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves in 1991. Isolated between two hills in a spectacular Northumbrian landscape, this maple tree was particularly beloved by the general public, its loss arousing sadness, anger and incomprehension in the face of such an act of vandalism.

The trial of the two men, whose "friendship seems to have completely collapsed as public disgust with their behavior became clear," the prosecutor said, is expected to last ten days. As the Associated Press points out, criminal prosecutions for tree felling are rare. A prison sentence—up to 10 years for "criminal damage"—would be unprecedented, according to tree lawyer Sarah Dodd. "I don't think anyone has been sentenced to prison for illegally felling a tree in the UK yet," she said. "It's on the table because of the seriousness of the situation. And when I say seriousness, I mean the value and the shock to the nation."

Since the felling, the National Trust, which manages many of Britain's heritage sites, including the site where the maple tree stood, has reported that new shoots have appeared on the tree stump. The National Trust has also collected seeds and secured 49 carefully tended saplings, known as "trees of hope," which will eventually be donated to individuals and organizations across the UK, including for planting in hospitals, gardens, and schools.