A Carlisle man has denied his involvement in the felling of the iconic Sycamore Gap tree, which stood at the side of Hadrian's Wall for more than two centuries.
Daniel Graham, 38, of Milbeck Stables, Carlisle denied two offences of criminal damage when they appeared at Newcastle Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, 15th May 2024.
Adam Carruthers, 31, of Church Street, Wigton did not enter a plea in respect of the same charges.
The first offence relates to the intentional felling of the tree, which was valued at £620,000 by its owners, the National Trust. The second offence relates to £1,144 worth of damage caused recklessly to Hadrian's Wall when the tree fell on top of it.
To paraphrase Marks and Spencer, this was not just any tree - the Sycamore Gap tree was an important piece of the north east's cultural identity. To those of us who knew the tree, it is impossible to put a monetary value on its loss.
As powerful as symbol as the Tyne Bridge or Angel of the North this tree, with its unchanged natural beauty, was an instantly recognisable snapshot of the region. I explained its significance in more detail in an earlier article.
District Judge Zoe Passfield declined jurisdiction and sent the case to Newcastle Crown Court for trial by jury.
The pair's next hearing will take place at Newcastle Crown Court on Wednesday, 12th June 2024.
They were granted unconditional bail until that time.
Update (16/5/24): I've written a bit of an addendum to this article.
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