Men Guilty Of Felling Much-loved British 'sycamore Gap' Tree

Two men were recovered blameworthy connected Friday of cutting down Britain's 'Sycamore Gap' character 2 years ago, felling nan much-loved landmark whose melodramatic silhouette had featured successful a Hollywood movie successful what prosecutors described arsenic a "moronic mission".

The sycamore, estimated to beryllium almost 200 years old, stood astatine nan centre of a melodramatic dip successful nan scenery alongside nan historical Hadrian's Wall successful northern England, making it a celebrated spot for photographers, hikers and moreover matrimony proposals.

2 MEN CHARGED WITH FELLING 150-YEAR-OLD ‘ROBIN HOOD’ TREE IN ENGLAND

Such was its fame that it featured successful nan 1991 movie "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves" and its felling successful September 2023 provoked wide condolences and anger.

Prosecutor Richard Wright told jurors astatine Newcastle Crown Court past period that Daniel Graham, 39, and Adam Carruthers, 32, were responsible for nan "mindless vandalism", expertly and deliberately cutting it down pinch a chainsaw.

The felling besides caused harm to portion of Hadrian's Wall, built by nan Romans almost 2,000 years agone and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

General position of nan felled Sycamore Gap successful Northumberland, Britain, September 28, 2023. (REUTERS/Lee Smith)

Graham and Carruthers, who travelled to nan tract successful nan Northumberland National Park from their homes successful nan Carlisle area, astir 25 miles away, had denied immoderate involvement. But they were convicted of 2 counts of criminal damage.

The men will beryllium sentenced connected July 15.

"For complete a century, Sycamore Gap has been an iconic earthy landmark successful nan northbound eastbound of England, bringing immeasurable joyousness to those visiting nan area," Chief Crown Prosecutor Gale Gilchrist said.

"In conscionable nether 3 minutes, Graham and Carruthers ended its historical bequest successful a deliberate and mindless enactment of destruction."

During nan trial, nan assemblage was shown a video of their "moronic mission", filmed connected Graham's mobile phone, which showed grainy footage of what appeared to beryllium nan iconic character being trim down.

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The prosecution said nan men had taken a wedge of nan character arsenic a trophy and messages they sent to each different afterwards showed they had been "revelling" successful nan worldwide guidance to nan incident. No mentation has been fixed for their actions.

The National Trust, a practice conservation kindness which looks aft nan site, said past August location were signs of life astatine nan guidelines of nan tree, giving dream it mightiness unrecorded on.