UK Britain's Sycamore Gap tree felled in 'deliberate act of vandalism' - 16 year old arrested

Britain's Sycamore Gap tree felled in 'deliberate act of vandalism'
Reuters (archive.ph)
By Reuters Staff
2023-09-29T06:04:51GMT

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General view of the Sycamore Gap tree that was felled, in Northumberland, Britain, September 28, 2023. REUTERS/Lee Smith

LONDON, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Britain's Sycamore Gap tree, a much-loved landmark whose dramatic silhouette featured in a Hollywood movie and was photographed by tourists from around the world, was cut down overnight in what police called a "deliberate act of vandalism".

Police said they had arrested a 16-year old male in connection with the felling of the statuesque sycamore in northern England, which is set in a natural dip in the otherwise treeless, sweeping landscape alongside Hadrian's Wall.

It was also known as the 'Robin Hood Tree' after featuring in the 1991 film "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves".

Photographs showed the tree, estimated to be hundreds of years old and voted "English Tree of the Year" in 2016, lying on its side across the wall next to a freshly-cut stump.

"This is a world-renowned landmark and the events of today have caused significant shock, sadness and anger throughout the local community and beyond," said Superintendent Kevin Waring, of Northumbria Police.

"An investigation was immediately launched following this vandalism, and this afternoon we have arrested one suspect in connection with our enquiries."

The National Trust, who look after the site alongside Northumberland National Park, said it was "shocked and desperately saddened", while local lawmaker Guy Opperman said everyone was "bereft".

"This is criminal damage and an attack on one of the nation's most famous trees," Opperman said on social media.

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Sycamore Gap is pictured at sunset, near Henshaw, Northumberland, Britain February 26, 2021. REUTERS/Lee Smith/File Photo
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General view of the Sycamore Gap tree that was felled, in Northumberland, Britain, September 28, 2023. REUTERS/Lee Smith
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General view of the Sycamore Gap tree that was felled, in Northumberland, Britain, September 28, 2023. REUTERS/Lee Smith
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Police stand near the Sycamore Gap tree that was felled, in Northumberland, Britain, September 28, 2023. REUTERS/Lee Smith
 
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My first assumption was a foreign invader being a good little bioweapon and destroying British culture just like his masters told him to. But that's a big-ass tree and felling it would have required both technical know-how and a willingness to do physical labor, neither of which fits the invader MO. So I'm thinking shithead kid lashing out at Mommy and Daddy.
 
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Weeb Slinger said:
Word is that a 60 year old man has been arrested. I'm wonder if a farmer got fed up with people's dogs going after his sheep, or something in that vein.
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Doubt it. The land around the wall is owned by the National Trust, so anyone working it would have to have their permission to begin with. The rumour mill is saying a sacked national trust worker, or someone with a grudge against the trust did it. It's honestly starting to sound like an episode of father ted.
 
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DoubleD said:
To think that this happened on the same night Michael Gambon passed away. Our island seems just that little bit less magical than it was before.
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I remember growing up reading Harry Potter and watching the movies. I too thought Britain and its people were magical.

Then I met a few of you and it really ruined the fuckin' image.
 
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UPDATE: Article | Archive - Published: 29 April 2025

Sycamore Gap accused kept trophy of tree, jury told​

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Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers deny criminal damage.

Two men accused of chopping down the famous Sycamore Gap tree kept a wedge as a trophy in a felling that prosecutors described as a "moronic mission".

The tree had stood for more than 100 years in a dip on Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland before it was felled overnight on 27 September 2023, Newcastle Crown Court 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.

Opening the case to jurors, prosecutor Richard Wright KC said the tree, which was held in "high affection" by many, had been chopped down in just minutes and the accused had "loved" the outrage caused.

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The Sycamore Gap tree was felled in September 2023.

The tree, which was planted in the late 1800s, had become "famous" and been photographed and depicted in films and art works "countless times", Mr Wright said.

On the night of 27 September, Mr Carruthers and Mr Graham had made a 40-minute drive in the latter's Range Rover from Cumbria to chop down the tree, the prosecutor said.
As one had cut it down using a technique known as hinge and wedge, the other had filmed the act of "deliberate mindless criminal damage" on Mr Graham's mobile phone, the court heard.

In the two minute and 41 second-long grainy video shown to jurors, a silhouetted figure can be seen appearing to cut at the base of a large tree which then falls over with a big crash.

Mr Wright said the person filming the "criminal" act was just as responsible as the person "wielding the chainsaw".

"Though the tree had grown for over a hundred years, the act of irreparably damaging it was the work of a matter of minutes," Mr Wright said.

It was a "moronic mission" that the pair had appeared to be "revelling in", the prosecutor said.

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The tree had been planted on Hadrian's Wall in the 1800s.

Mobile phone data and automatic number plate recognition cameras showed them travelling towards and away from the remote site, with a wedge of wood believed to have been cut out of the tree photographed by the pair in the boot of Mr Graham's car, the court heard.

The following morning, when news of the "senseless" attack had broken and sparked international outrage, the two accused shared multiple news and social media posts between themselves.

In one message, Mr Graham said "here we go", the court heard.

In a comment on Facebook, a man wrote: "Some weak people that walk this earth, disgusting behaviour."

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The tree took just minutes to fell, prosecutors say.

Two minutes later, Mr Graham sent his co-accused a voice note saying: "Weak? Does he realise how heavy [stuff] is?"

Mr Carruthers responded saying he would like to see the commenter "launch an operation like we did last night", adding: "I don't think he's got the minerals."

Mr Wright said that message was the "clearest confirmation in their own voices" the two men were responsible for felling the tree.

The prosecutor said messages the men exchanged in the aftermath showed they were "loving" and "revelling in" the public's response.

He said: "This is excitement at the fact it's gone worldwide, it's gone viral, it's being talked about all over the world.

"There is no sadness here or remorse."

'Public revulsion'​

The court heard the men had proven expertise to fell a large tree, with a video of them doing so filmed just weeks before.

Both also had chainsaws at their homes but it was not believed they were the tools used to fell the Sycamore Gap tree.

Mr Wright said neither that chainsaw nor the wedge of wood taken from the tree as a "trophy" had been found and they had probably been "hidden away".

Mr Wright said both men denied their involvement to police and would seek to blame each other, their once close friendship appearing to have unravelled "perhaps as the public revulsion at their behaviour became clear to them".

Jurors had previously been warned to try the case purely on the evidence heard in court and set all emotion aside.

The trial continues.
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BBC live reporting of the ongoing trial: https://www.bbc.com/news/live/cvg93k0950pt
 
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deleuzeon said:
The punishment must fit the crime. Film them being hinged and wedged. It's called justice.
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They're not trees. People can't grow back after being sawed in half.

If I was dictator: 15 years each, for irreparably desecrating a national landmark with malicious intent. 20% lien on the monthly gross income of the minor's family, to pay for maintenance and upkeep, until he gets out of prison or they disown him, at which point it transfers to him for life. Confiscation of all the 60-year old's finances, repossession of house and car (if applicable), no pension, no NHS access, and 30% lien on his monthly gross income until he expires. Upon their deaths, bury the cadavers under the stump in an unmarked grave to nurture its future growth. Only then would their blood debt be repaid.
 
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I'm happy for these two clowns to be hammered. For their stupidity as much of anything. They could have ringbarked or copper nailed (would have needed quite a few mind) but these dummies did it in the most obvious and immediate way possible short of explosives. And they kept the wedge!

I can't help however, doing a bit of a compare and contrast with the handwaving and encouragement of cultural destruction that's been underway for many years now the statue destruction of events post Saint Floyd of Fentanyl just being a particular lowlight. Guess it's OK when we do it.
 
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