Sycamore-GAP tree case sentenced to over four years of prison

Sycamore-GAP tree case sentenced to over four years of prison

Two men were sentenced to four years and three months in prison because they sawed off a striking pointed maple tree in northern England. Daniel Graham, 39 years old, and Adam Carruthers, 32 years old, were guilty in May that they had committed two crimes of vandalism - one thing referred to the tree itself and the other to the Hadrianwall on which the tree had fallen. This was reported by the PA Media news agency from Great Britain.

condemnation in Newcastle Crown Court

The two men received their punishment on Tuesday in the Newcastle Crown Court in northeastern England. The tree, which stood as a watchpost on Hadrianwall built by the Romans for more than 200 years, was deliberately felled in September 2023. The authorities described this as a "vandalism act".

The famous pointed maple and its story

The beloved Spitzhaorn, which is located in Northumberland National Park, became known to millions of people worldwide when he was seen in 1991 in the blockbuster film "Robin Hood: King of Thieves" with Kevin Costner. The tree stood in a place known as the "Sycamore Gap", and was part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Hadrianwall, which was built around 1,900 years ago to protect the northwestern border of the Roman Empire.

effects and reactions

The felling of the tree has triggered great indignation and represents a deep cut in the cultural heritage of the region. The Hadrianwall attracts numerous tourists every year, and the experienced destruction of such an iconic tree re -sparked the discussion about the protection of historical sites.

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The reporting of CNN was supported by Jack Guy and Issy Ronald.