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This is the moment two friends allegedly felled the iconic Sycamore Gap tree in an act of ‘mindless vandalism’.
Jurors in the trial of two men accused of chopping down the tree in a Northumberland beauty spot have been shown footage allegedly filmed by one of the defendants showing the tree, which featured in the film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, being chopped down.
In the grainy clip, the ‘unmistakeable’ sound of a chainsaw can be heard before a large tree can be seen falling to the ground.
Daniel Graham, 39, and Adam Carruthers, 32, from Carlisle, are on trial at Newcastle Crown Court for criminal damage after allegedly felling the tree on September 27, 2023 while on a ‘moronic mission’.
They are also accused of causing damage to Hadrian’s Wall, an Unesco world heritage site, when the tree fell.
The court was earlier told that the video allegedly showing the Sycamore Gap tree being felled was found on Graham’s phone.
When news of the felling of the tree, which stood in a dip next to Hadrian’s Wall, went ‘viral’, Graham and Carruthers were said to be ‘loving it’ and ‘revelling in it’.
Grabs from enhanced version of mobile phone footage showing the Sycamore Gap being felled
Police officers look at the Sycamore Gap tree next to Hadrian’s Wall on September 28, 2023
Groundworker Daniel Graham (left), 39, and mechanic Adam Carruthers (right), 32, each deny two counts of criminal damage to the tree and Hadrian’s Wall
Describing how they allegedly felled the tree, prosecutor Richard Wright KC said: ‘First, they marked the intended cut with silver spray paint, before then cutting out a wedge that would dictate the direction in which the tree would fall.
‘One of the men then cut across the trunk, causing the sycamore to fall, hitting the wall. Whilst he did that, the other filmed the act on Graham’s mobile telephone.
‘Though the tree had grown for over a hundred years, the act of irreparably damaging it was the work of a matter of minutes.’
On the second day of their trial today, the court also heard from archaeologist Tony Wilmott, who works for Historic England.
In a statement, he said the Sycamore Gap tree had become one of Northumberland’s most appreciated features.
‘It’s unmistakable profile has been repeated in many media and because of this it has become totemic,’ he said.
‘It has become a place of marriage proposals, family visits and even the location of ashes to be spread. The place is much loved by many thousands of people.’
Jurors were also shown bodyworn camera footage from PC Peter Borini, who attended the scene after reports had been made that the tree was no longer standing.
He arrived on September 28, 2023 – just hours after Graham and Carruthers allegedly felled the tree.
In the 30-second clip, PC Borini can be heard asking concerned bystanders to stand back ‘so we can gather as much evidence as we can’.
Graham and Carruthers deny criminal damage.
The trial continues.
