Sycamore Gap tree suspect wanted trophy’ court told

One of two men on trial for cutting down the Sycamore Gap tree had a "fascination" with it and thought it would make a good trophy, Newcastle Crown Court heard yesterday.

- JANE DALTON

Adam Carruthers had a “strange interest” in the tree, prosecutor Richard Wright KC said.

Mr Carruthers, 32, and Daniel Graham, 39, each deny two counts of criminal damage to the Northumberland sycamore and to the nearby Hadrian’s Wall, which was damaged when it came down in September 2023.

On the fourth day of their trial, Mr Graham said his co-accused had spoken of wanting to cut down the tree beside the Roman wall, keeping a piece of string in his workshop to measure its circumference and ordering a chainsaw he said was “big enough” for the job.

Mr Graham also told the court his co-defendant rang him the morning after the tree was felled and claimed to be the person responsible.