Second man denies felling Sycamore Gap tree

Adam Carruthers, 31, from Wigton, leaves Newcastle Crown Court, where he denied causing criminal damage following the felling of the Sycamore Gap tree, valued at £622,000 and £1,114 damage to Hadrian's Wall, which is a World Heritage Site. Picture date: Wednesday June 12, 2024.
Adam Carruthers, 31, from Wigton, leaving Newcastle Crown Court after denying causing damage to the Sycamore Gap tree and Hadrian's Wall. Credit: PA

A second defendant accused of felling the famous Sycamore Gap tree and causing more than £620,000 of damage has denied the offences.

Adam Carruthers, 31, of Church Street, Wigton, Cumbria, appeared at Newcastle Crown Court on Wednesday (12 June) to deny causing £622,191 worth of damage to the much-photographed Northumberland tree.

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He also denied causing £1,144 worth of damage to Hadrian’s Wall, a Unesco World Heritage Site, which was hit by the tree when it was felled overnight on 28 September 2023.

Co-accused Daniel Graham, 38, of Milbeck Stables, Carlisle, did not attend the hearing as he was “unavoidably detained”, his barrister Christopher Knox said.

The Sycamore Gap tree was hailed as one of the most photographed in the country before it was felled. Credit: PA

Graham had previously denied the same offences at a magistrates’ court hearing last month.

Both the tree and the wall were said to belong to the National Trust.

Judge Paul Sloan KC set a trial date of 3 December and granted Carruthers conditional bail in the meantime.

He set a case management hearing for 27 August.

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