Two men found guilty of cutting down 150-year-old Sycamore Gap tree

Two men found guilty of cutting down 150-year-old Sycamore Gap tree



Posted by theipaper

28 comments

  1. Two friends who blamed each other for [cutting down the world-famous Sycamore Gap tree ](https://inews.co.uk/news/5-things-we-learned-from-the-sycamore-gap-trial-from-texts-to-taking-a-trophy-3666139?ico=in-line_link)have been found guilty of the act of “deliberate and mindless criminal damage”.

    Daniel Graham, 39, and Adam Carruthers, 32, filmed themselves using a chainsaw to fell the historic landmark in Northumberland – then spent the next day “revelling” in news reports about their “moronic mission”, their trial heard.

    Both denied the act – but groundworker Graham and mechanic Carruthers 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.

    Graham and Carruthers drove through a storm for 30 miles in the middle of the night from their homes in Cumbria to the landmark, where one of them cut down the sycamore with a chainsaw and the other filmed it.

    Newcastle Crown Court heard the pair then kept a wedge of the trunk as a trophy.

    Jurors heard Graham and Carruthers were the “best of pals” at the time and regularly worked together felling trees.

    Prosecutors said the two men had thought it would be “a bit of a laugh” but realised they “weren’t the big men they thought they were” when they saw the public outrage they had caused.

  3. They absolutely have to get the full 10 years or there is no Justice

  5. Lock them up and throw away the key until they can pay the 600,000 or so back with interest. Dredges

  6. What’s the fucking point of this? Horrible cretins.

  7. I can’t fathom the thinking that goes into something like this.

    I mean. Seriously, why?

    I get some crimes / acts on some levels, I’d never do them but I understand them.

    I get that kids sometimes do acts of mindless vandalism, or horrible things even – I get that. They don’t know any better and haven’t developed any sense of empathy.

    But something like this. From two grown adults – Two! – Just. Why?

  8. Some people just like destruction.

    These two, though, just seem unfathomably stupid. Left a full digital and physical trail of evidence but still denied everything.

  9. They look like the biggest inbreds going. Absolute pond life

  10. I’m surprised they managed to get a picture of Carruthers’ face.

    Thought the bloke was sewn into his hood.

  11. Should spend the days tree planting under Ent supervision.

  12. I move that following this unconscionable tragedy we change the calendar so that the years are numbered ‘before cut’ and ‘after tree’, making 2025 the year 3 A.T.

  15. They knew what they were doing was wrong, that’s why they waited until nightfall

  16. 10 years is the max sentence

    Considering the damage and the harm done I think the max is appropriate.

  17. Where’s the mentality to do something like this? Just mindless wanton destruction of a living thing that had more beauty and dignity than they could ever hope to have. Lock em up.

  18. Two absolute pillocks. Damnable muppets. 10 years seems too short.

    And how is “It seemed funny at the time” an actual reason? Piss off.

  22. So they did it for a laugh and banter?

    Did they think we would all go wow lads, you are funny. No, just no.

    They should air the next court date on TV

  24. My favourite quote to loathe from these two, they thought “it was just a tree”

    My take, they saw something people took joy from and resented it.

    To quote fight club “I wanted to destroy something beautiful”

  25. 39? He looks like he’s 60. By the time he’s out of prison, he’ll be 100.

  26. Couple of wankers. All that destruction, for what? Clowns.

  28. People are weird, who in their right mind thinks during a storm. “You know what, let’s go cut down a historical tree” I dread to think about what else they would class as a good idea.

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