A vandal who felled a County Durham village Christmas tree has been made handed a suspended sentence order.
Dylan James McNamara, 26, of Bruce Glazier Terrace, Shotton Colliery, admitted an offence of criminal damage when he appeared at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates' Court on Friday, 15th May 2026.
He was sentenced by the same court on Tuesday, 16th June 2026.
Criminal damage is an offence under section 1(1) of the Criminal Damage Act 1971. Criminal damage below £5,000, as is the case here, is a summary offence. It has a maximum sentence of 3 months' custody and/or a fine at level 4. We have previously written a guide to the offence of criminal damage, which some readers may find of interest.
Magistrates heard that the 22-foot tree was felled by McNamara and another man shortly after its lights switch on ceremony on Wednesday, 10th December 2025.
The live festive spruce had been planted in Shotton Colliery a decade earlier and doubled as a monument to local soldiers who had died in World War One.
McNamara was caught committing the crime on CCTV. The saw used to do the deed was later recovered from behind his refrigerator.
The 26-year-old has never given an explanation for his antics, which barrister Amrit Jandoo suggested might be "some sort of sport, joke or humour".
Mr Jandoo added that his client was remorseful for his actions and wished to apologise to the people of Shotton Colliery.
Magistrates were of the view that McNamara's crime was so serious that only a custodial sentence was appropriate. However, in line with new sentencing legislation, the custodial term was suspended.
McNamara was sentenced to 10 weeks' custody suspended for 18 months and ordered to carry out 200 hours' unpaid work.
He was also ordered to pay £520 compensation, which will be deducted from his benefits.
William Unsworth, Presiding Justice, said to the defendant: "This was not a very nice thing to do, was it, especially when it was a memorial to people who died in the wars?"
Stuart Wardle, clerk to Shotton Parish Council, said it was "disgraceful that someone could cut down a tree that had been part of the community".
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