Sycamore Gap tree - latest: Second man denies causing £620,000 worth of damage to landmark as trial date set

Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers are accused of causing over £600,000 worth of damage

Daniel Graham, left, and Adam Carruthers, right, wore masks outside court at a previous hearing over the felled Sycamore Gap tree (Owen Humphreys/PA) (PA Wire)

A second man has denied felling the famous Sycamore Gap tree and allegedly causing thousands of pounds of damage.

Adam Carruthers, 31, is accused of causing £622,191 worth of damage to the much-photographed tree and causing £1,144 worth of damage to Hadrian’s Wall, which is a Unesco World Heritage site.

Co-accused Daniel Graham, 38, did not attend the hearing as he was “unavoidably detained”, his barrister Christopher Knox said.

There was a national outcry in September when the much-loved, centuries-old tree in rural Northumberland was found to have been cut down.

The tree, believed to have been one of the most photographed in the country, used to sit in a gap along Hadrian’s Wall and was a popular hotspot for tourists and walkers.

Its origins are believed to have dated back to medieval times and it has been excavated on two previous occasions when Roman remains linked to Hadrian’s Wall were found.

Northumberland National Park (NNP) said it had received 2,000 “heartfelt” messages from people from all around the world expressing sadness, and that it had been inundated with offers of help.

Key Points

• Second man denies felling Sycamore Gap tree

[12 June 2024 09:51 · Holly Evans]

Welcome to our live blog

Welcome to our live coverage as two men appear in court charged with felling the Sycamore Gap tree last September.

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