News, North East and Cumbria
One of the men who denies felling the world famous Sycamore Gap tree blamed his co-accused in an anonymous call to police, a court has heard.
The tree had grown in a dip on Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland for more than 100 years before it was felled in a “moronic mission” in the early hours of 28 September 2023, Newcastle Crown Court has heard.
Daniel Michael Graham, 39, from Carlisle, and Adam Carruthers, 32, from Wigton in Cumbria, each deny two counts of criminal damage relating to the tree and the Roman Wall.
The following August, detectives received an anonymous call accusing Mr Carruthers, but they instantly recognised Mr Graham’s voice.
Jurors were previously told the tree was a much-loved landmark and had global significance for its position on the former frontier of the Roman empire.
On the night of 27 September, Mr Carruthers and Mr Graham made a 40-minute drive in the latter’s Range Rover from Cumbria to chop the tree down, prosecutors allege.
Nick LewisThe felling was filmed on Mr Graham’s phone and the pair took a wedge cut of the trunk home as a “trophy”, jurors have heard.
At about 21:30 BST on 23 August 2024, a man made an anonymous call to Northumbria Police, the court heard.
Det Insp Calum Meikle told jurors he listened to a recording of the 10-minute call and instantly recognised Mr Graham’s voice, with further probing revealing his phone had made a call to the police’s 101 service at that exact time.
The man told the call handler he had information about the Sycamore Gap tree felling but wanted to remain anonymous as he did “not want repercussions”.
He said “one of the lads that [did] it Adam Carruthers” had got his chainsaws back, the court heard.
The caller said several saws were being held by a friend of Mr Carruthers’, while others were at Mr Carruthers’ home and a company workshop where he was a part-time employee.
“There is also a part of the tree with the saws as well,” the caller said.
CPSAt the end of the call, he told police where Mr Carruthers lived but warned them he had a shotgun and handgun.
Mr Carruthers’ barrister Andrew Gurney asked if any firearms were found, to which Mr Meikle replied: “No.”
The detective confirmed the allusion to firearms meant there was heightened response from officers.
Mr Meikle also said no chainsaws or the piece of wood were found.
“The purpose of that call really was to drop [Mr Carruthers and his friend] in it, wasn’t it really?” Mr Gurney asked.
Mr Meikle replied: “That could be a conclusion that could be drawn by the court.”
He agreed with Mr Gurney there was “no uncertainty” the call had been made by Mr Graham.
The officer also told the court there were numerous suspects and lines of inquiry at the beginning, including people who were known to have issues with the National Trust and a young boy who reported his brother at school.
A teenage boy and older man were arrested quickly but they were both discounted, with Mr Carruthers and Mr Graham first arrested on 31 October 2023.
The trial continues.
