Cop's knowledge from forester dad helped snare duo

THE Sycamore Gap tree's refusal to die may have spared the “moronic” duo who felled it a far longer spell in jail.

- By Paul Jeeves

Adam Carruthers and Daniel Graham were yesterday each sentenced to four years and three months behind bars.

But the detective who snared them believes this would have been longer had the famed tree not shown shoots of life.

Experts initially thought the stump was dead, but weeks later, it began sprouting green shoots from its base.

As it was technically not dead, it meant Carruthers and Graham could not be charged with its destruction.

They were instead accused of criminally damaging the tree, a less serious form of vandalism.