Daniel Graham, 39, and Adam Carruthers, 32, were sentenced to four years and three months in prison on 15/7 at Newcastle Crown Court.

In May, a jury found the pair guilty of two counts of damaging property related to felling the nearly 200-year-old sycamore tree (not 300 years old as initially reported) in 2023. The act caused GBP 622,191 in damage to the tree and GBP 1,144 in damage to Hadrian’s Wall.

The Sycamore Gap tree stood for nearly 200 years in a picturesque valley in northern England, next to the remains of Hadrian’s Wall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The tree gained fame as the “Robin Hood Tree” after appearing in the 1991 blockbuster film *Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves*.

Before the trial, the National Trust called the “unnecessary felling” shocking to people across the country and abroad. A spokesperson for the organization stated, “This feeling is particularly profound in northeast England, where the tree was a regional symbol and held many personal memories.”

The Sycamore Gap tree was felled on the night of 27/9/2023. The remaining stump, now fenced off, has begun to sprout. Photo: *PA*

According to the prosecutor, the two defendants drove to the site and cut down the tree on the night of 27/9/2023. They filmed themselves using a chainsaw to cut through the trunk “in just a few minutes” and took a piece of the wood as a “trophy.”

Daniel and Adam then exchanged voice messages boasting about felling the ancient tree and predicting they would become “famous.”

In court, Adam’s lawyer stated that his client admitted to the senseless act due to intoxication. However, the prosecutor argued the incident was “premeditated and calculated” as the defendants drove 40 minutes to a parking lot, carried specialized equipment, and then hiked 20 minutes to the site. “The felling was carried out purposefully and professionally,” the prosecutor said.

Adam told the jury he was surprised by the public’s anger, thinking it was “just a tree.” He added, “I don’t understand why a tree can attract so much attention. It feels like someone was murdered.”

The Sycamore Gap tree was a popular photo spot for millions of visitors to Northumberland. Photo: *BBC*

The Sycamore Gap tree was a symbol of northeast England and a major tourist attraction photographed by millions of visitors over the years. It won the “Tree of the Year” award from the Woodland Trust in 2016.

The National Trust, which owns the wall and the tree, said it has propagated 49 saplings from the sycamore’s seeds, which are scheduled to be planted this winter at various locations across the United Kingdom.

A section of the trunk, over 1.8 meters long, is being displayed as an art installation at a visitor center near the tree’s former location, allowing visitors to see and touch a piece of the iconic tree.

Tue Anh (*CBS, Sun*)