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

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:

Daniel Graham, 39, and Adam Carruthers, 32, were each 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.

Because the tree is still alive, they could not be charged with destruction.

There was no visible reaction from either in the dock as the jury returned after just over five hours to convict them.

During the trial at Newcastle Crown Court, both men denied any involvement in the chopping down of the Sycamore Gap Tree.

It means the public still don’t know why they did it.

Graham accused Carruthers of taking his car and phone to Sycamore Gap without his knowledge, saying he had now turned on his former friend because his business was being affected by Carruthers’ actions.

Graham claimed during his evidence that Carruthers had a fascination with the sycamore, saying he had described it as “the most famous tree in the world” and spoken of wanting to cut it down, even keeping a piece of string in his workshop that he had used to measure the circumference.

Carruthers denied this and told the court he could not understand the outcry over the story, saying it was “just a tree”.

Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers drove through a storm for 40 minutes in the middle of the night from their homes in Cumbria to the Northumberland landmark, where one of them cut down the sycamore and the other filmed it.

Precisely who used the chainsaw and who videoed the shocking crime has never been proven, but prosecutors at Newcastle Crown Court stressed the two men were in it together, carrying the equipment to the scene and one encouraging and assisting the other.

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.

Mrs Justice Lambert remanded both defendants until they are sentenced on July 15, and said they could face “a lengthy period in custody”.