Trial Begins for Men Accused of Felling Sycamore Gap Tree

The trial has begun for Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers, accused of deliberately cutting down the iconic Sycamore Gap tree beside Hadrian's Wall in northern England in September 2023. Prosecutors allege the men used a chainsaw to fell the nearly 200-year-old tree in a carefully planned act, filming the event and keeping video and photographic 'trophies' on Graham's phone. The felling, which took less than three minutes, caused damage not just to the tree but also to the UNESCO World Heritage Site wall, with the tree's value estimated at over $800,000 and wall damage at about $1,500. Evidence presented includes surveillance footage, cell phone data, and social media activity, with prosecutors stating the pair appeared to boast about the act as news of the destruction spread globally. Both defendants have pleaded not guilty to criminal damage and now appear to blame each other for the incident. The destruction provoked national outrage, given the tree's cultural significance and its appearance in the film 'Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.'