Two jailed for illegal felling of iconic Northumberland tree
The pair, from Cumbria, were given 4 years and 3 months each in prison for cutting down the Sycamore Gap tree in Northumberland in 2023
Last updated 15th Jul 2025
The two men responsible for cutting down Northumberland's iconic Sycamore Gap tree have been sentenced at Newcastle Crown Court today.
Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers, both in their 30s and from Cumbria, will serve 4 years and 3 months behind bars each.
The felling of the almost 2 hundred year old tree, back in September 2023, caused international outrage and led to a huge police investigation - which culminated in the trial of Graham and Carruthers earlier this year.
The prosecution said Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers realised they "weren't the big men they thought they were" when they saw the public outrage over the felling of the much-loved Northumberland landmark.
During the trial, at Newcastle Crown Court, footage of the tree being felled was played to the jury - taken from one of the pair's mobile phones.
It took less than 3 minutes for the almost 200 year old tree, beside Hadrian's Wall, to come down, with one of the pair cutting it down while the other filmed.
Richard Wright KC, prosecuting, told jurors the pair had engaged in a "moronic mission" to cut down the landmark, travelling for more than 40 minutes from their homes in Cumbria, then carrying their equipment across pitch black moorland during a storm back in September 2023.
One of them filmed the act, although precisely who did what, and why, has never been explained, with the prosecution case claiming that each encouraged the other.
They took a wedge from the tree as a trophy that has never been recovered and revelled in the media coverage, as news of the vandalism caused national and international headlines.
The tree was a symbol of Northumberland, was the site of countless family visits and featured in the Kevin Costner and Morgan Freeman film, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.
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.
The defendants were once close, working and socialising together, but have fallen out since their arrests and each has come to blame the other.
Graham's Range Rover was picked up on automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras between Carlisle and Sycamore Gap at night on September 27 2023, and returning early the next morning. His mobile was traced to phone masts making the same journey.
When police arrested the pair and searched Graham's phone, they found a two-minute and 41-second video, which showed the sycamore being cut down at 12.30am on September 28, and had been sent to Carruthers.
Messages and voice notes between Graham and Carruthers the next day showed them talking about the story going "wild" and "viral".
At trial, Graham claimed 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 its circumference.
Carruthers denied this and told the court he could not understand the outcry over the story, saying it was "just a tree".
Northumberland Superintendent Kevin Waring, of Northumbria Police, said: “The Sycamore Gap tree was truly an iconic landmark which held a special place in the hearts of many while being instantly recognisable across the world.
“News of the felling led to an outpouring of emotion - not just in our communities but far beyond.
“Thanks to the unwavering commitment of all involved in the case, two men have been sentenced for damaging not only the tree but also Hadrian’s Wall.
“This truly was a mindless act of vandalism and there could never be a justifiable reason for their actions that night.”
He added: “We continue to be aware of the strength of feeling across the North East and further afield in response to the felling.
“I would like to thank the public and our partners for their support throughout our investigation, helping to ensure those responsible have been brought to justice.”
Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Susan Dungworth, said: “The unfathomable felling of the Sycamore Gap Tree generated outrage and upset among many people who had taken Northumberland’s iconic tree to heart.
"With evidence meticulously stacked against them, the judicial process found these two men guilty for this deliberate act of vandalism - and now they have been brought to justice for their senseless act.
"My thanks go to the public for the information they provided, partners for their continuous support and of course to Northumbria Police – for the committed efforts and hard work of officers and staff who worked tirelessly on this intense and determined investigation.
"Today those who sought to destroy nature’s poignant symbol of Northumberland have been held accountable.”
The tree and wall were owned by the National Trust and a spokesperson said: "The needless felling of the Sycamore Gap tree shocked people around the country and overseas, demonstrating the powerful connection between people and our natural heritage."
The sycamore tree before it was felled
The scene after the tree had been cut down