Two men are due to appear in court today (Wednesday, May 15), after cutting down the “world-famous” sycamore gap tree and causing criminal damage to Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland.
The men who are due to be charged have been named by the UK’s Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) are Daniel Michael Graham, aged 39 and Adam Carruthers, aged 31.
The incident occurred between September 27 to 28 of last year (2023), and according to detective chief inspector, Rebecca Fenney-Menzies, the incident caused great outrage from the public.
The CPS announced that the men are due to be charged, after they damaged a sycamore tree and Hadrian’s Wall, which both belonged to the National Trust.
Specialist prosecutor for CPS North East’s Complex Casework Unit, Gary Fothergill, said that the CPS has “authorised” the Northumbria Police to charge the two men.
Fothergill reminded all those concerned, that criminal proceedings against the defendants are still active.
He added that it is “extremely important” that there is no reporting, commentary, or sharing of information online which could be any way prejudice throughout the proceedings.
Sycamore tree
Sycamore is native to central, eastern and southern Europe. It is believed to have been introduced to the UK by the Romans, according to Woodland Trust.
The seed is “extremely fertile”, so sycamore has spread quickly across the UK and “colonised” many woodlands.
Sycamore trees provide food for a variety of animals, including bees, pollinators, caterpillars, birds, and insects, as the leaves are eaten by them.
The seeds are eaten by birds, such as greenfinch and goldfinch. The bark is eaten by insects, including sycamore lacewing and sycamore aphid.
Sycamore trees also provide habitat for a variety of animals, like mammals, insects, fungi and birds, such as a robin and blue tit.
J Miller from the National Trust previously informed the Woodland Trust that the tree was a “symbol of the region’s heritage” and its loss will be “deeply felt” by the local community.