Two men used a chainsaw to intentionally cut down a famous sycamore gap tree in northern England on a “Moronic Mission” a year and a half ago, and the cut was photographed with a mobile phone, a Northeast British prosecutor said Tuesday.
The beloved landmark tree, which stood by the wall of Hadrian, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was illegally cut in September 2023.
Trial of two defendants in the case – Daniel Graham, 32, of Cambria, England, and Adam Calzars, 32, opened on Tuesday at Newcastle Crown Court, northeast of England, within an hour's drive from where the tree stump stands.
The man pleaded not guilty to two counts of criminal damage. Presenting the case against the defendant Tuesday morning, prosecutor Richard Wright called logging a “moronic mission” and “intentional and heartless criminal offence.”
He told the ju umpire that Mr. Graham and Mr. Calzars deliberately cut down the tree from nearby city of Carlisle towards the property late September 27, 2023.
Using methods of showing logging expertise, Wright said the tree was cut down with a chainsaw in minutes and was filmed on Graham's phone.
Prosecutors told the court that the wedge cut from the tree was later photographed next to a chainsaw on Mr. Graham's Range Rover trunk. “This was probably a trophy taken from the scene to remind them of what they were doing,” Wright said.
Prosecutors said evidence gathered from the defendant's mobile phone suggested that they shared social media posts and international news reports after the fallen tree was found.
Prosecutors said Graham, who owns the construction company, and Carruthers, who worked in the property maintenance and mechanics, are friends and they defeated another large tree together a month ago.
The criminal charges they face are associated with the section of the wood and Hadrian wall, a Roman fortress that stretch for 70 miles in northern England.
The exam is expected to last for two weeks. When the man was charged in April 2024, Criminal Secretary Rebecca Fenny, a senior officer in the case, asked members of the citizens not to speculate online about the crime or the accused.
“We recognize the strength of the community's emotions and it's what logging has sparked,” she said in a statement. “But we remind people to avoid speculations that include online that could affect ongoing cases.”
Many lamented the destruction of the trees. The Destruction of Trees is an icon standing on the wall of Hadrian, built by the Roman army occupied in the second century.
Trees have been a marker and memory maker for a long time. It is a wedding proposal and memory ritual site and a sentry of one family vacation photo tapered to fridges around the world. He also appeared in the 1991 film Robin Hood: The Prince of Thieves.
It was illegally reduced for nearly 200 years.
In August, the Rangers discovered several buds near the base. This also began to grow seeds and genetic material collected by scientists last year. The National Trust plans to hand over 49 saplings next year to spread the tree heritage.
According to Andrew Poad, general manager of Hadrian's Wall, the number is intentional. This is partially managed by the National Trust. When the trees were cut down, the trees were 49 feet. And when given to the recipient, the seedlings are about a foot tall.
