Two men have been found guilty of cutting down the iconic Sycamore Gap tree in what authorities described as a senseless act of destruction that outraged the public across
Britain and beyond.
Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers were convicted on Friday by a jury at Newcastle Crown Court on two counts of criminal damage each — one for felling the famed tree and the other for damaging the ancient Hadrian’s Wall, onto which the tree was deliberately toppled.
Though not the oldest or tallest tree in Britain, the Sycamore Gap tree held deep cultural and emotional significance. Nestled in a natural dip beside Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland National Park, it became a symbol of natural beauty and tranquility. Planted in a stark, treeless landscape between two hills, the tree gained widespread fame after featuring in the 1991 film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and was named “English Tree of the Year” in 2016.
“For more than a century, Sycamore Gap has been a treasured landmark in the northeast of England, bringing immense joy to countless visitors,” said Gale Gilchrist, the region’s chief prosecutor. “In under three minutes, Graham and Carruthers destroyed its historic legacy in a deliberate and thoughtless act.”
The jury deliberated for about four hours on Thursday and reached their verdict swiftly the following morning. Neither man reacted as the guilty verdicts were delivered.
Justice Christina Lambert remanded both men in custody until their sentencing, scheduled for July 15, warning they could face significant prison time. The maximum penalty for criminal damage in the UK is 10 years.
Once close friends, Graham and Carruthers each denied involvement during the trial. Graham attempted to shift blame onto Carruthers, but prosecutors presented damning evidence, including a video found on Graham’s phone showing the tree being cut down. The footage was recorded at the tree’s location and was sent to Carruthers soon afterward. GPS data also placed Graham’s vehicle at the scene.
While the prosecution did not establish who physically cut the tree or filmed the act, both men were in possession of the incriminating video. The day after the incident, they exchanged messages expressing glee as media coverage of the incident exploded.
Prosecutor Richard Wright argued the pair likely felled the tree for amusement, underestimating the scale of public anger they would provoke. “They thought it would be funny,” he said. “But they quickly realized no one else was laughing. What they saw as bravado, the world saw as pathetic.”
Authorities have not been able to determine a clear motive, and both men refused to explain their actions. Northumbria Police said there could “never be a justifiable reason.”
The tree was originally valued at over £620,000 (around $830,000), and damage to the wall was estimated at £1,100 (roughly $1,500). However, prosecutors have since acknowledged those figures may be revised downward — though the damage still qualifies for the highest sentencing bracket under UK law.
The tree’s loss was felt across generations and communities, making the crime not just one of vandalism, but of cultural and emotional theft. Photo by Gordon Leggett, Wikimedia commons.