A national treasure lost ... and still no one knows why

The Sycamore Gap tree-fellers have now been sentenced, but the big question remains.

- By Andrew Hankinson

When the National Trust presented its impact statement to a Newcastle court during the sentencing of the two men convicted of felling a landmark tree, it included three photographs.

One showed the “Sycamore Gap celebration room” at a visitors’ centre near where the tree once stood.

People had been invited to write “a memory” about the tree and stick it on the wall. Some people had left poetry ~ “Regional flag, Arboreal angel” — and others wrote messages. One said: “Forgive them Father for they know not what they do.” Below it someone replied: “Yes they do. Some people are just wired up wrong.”

Were they just wired up wrong?

Adam Carruthers and Daniel Graham denied felling the tree during their trial in May, so we were given no reason for why it was done. After they had been found guilty, we heard they admitted to probation officers that they did it, yet still gave no reason.

During their sentencing at Newcastle crown court on Wednesday, the National Trust’s statement was read out by prosecution barrister Rebecca Brown to help Mrs Justice Lambert decide how long the pair should spend in prison.