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| Sycamore Gap accused thought it was 'just a tree', court hears | Sycamore Gap accused thought it was 'just a tree', court hears |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Watch the video shown to the jurors above | Watch the video shown to the jurors above |
| A second man accused of felling the world famous Sycamore Gap has told jurors he was amazed at the public's reaction as he thought it was "just a tree". | A second man accused of felling the world famous Sycamore Gap has told jurors he was amazed at the public's reaction as he thought it was "just a tree". |
| The tree had grown in a dip on Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland for more than 100 years before it was felled in a "moronic mission" in the early hours of 28 September 2023, Newcastle Crown Court has heard. | The tree had grown in a dip on Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland for more than 100 years before it was felled in a "moronic mission" in the early hours of 28 September 2023, Newcastle Crown Court has heard. |
| Daniel Michael Graham, 39, from Carlisle, and Adam Carruthers, 32, from Wigton in Cumbria, each deny two counts of criminal damage relating to the tree and the Roman Wall. | Daniel Michael Graham, 39, from Carlisle, and Adam Carruthers, 32, from Wigton in Cumbria, each deny two counts of criminal damage relating to the tree and the Roman Wall. |
| Mr Carruthers told jurors he had "no clue" who did it. | Mr Carruthers told jurors he had "no clue" who did it. |
| Jurors were previously told the tree was a much-loved landmark and had global significance for its position on the former frontier of the Roman empire. | Jurors were previously told the tree was a much-loved landmark and had global significance for its position on the former frontier of the Roman empire. |
| Live coverage of the trial | Live coverage of the trial |
| Five things from the Sycamore Gap trial | Five things from the Sycamore Gap trial |
| Mr Graham's phone and Range Rover were both tracked going to and from the site, while a video, which prosecutors allege shows the moment the tree was felled, was filmed on his mobile, the court has heard. | |
| Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers had worked together on projects including felling trees and cutting up timber | Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers had worked together on projects including felling trees and cutting up timber |
| A wedge of wood was taken as a "trophy" and photographed hours later alongside a chainsaw in the boot of Mr Graham's car, prosecutors have said. | A wedge of wood was taken as a "trophy" and photographed hours later alongside a chainsaw in the boot of Mr Graham's car, prosecutors have said. |
| Mr Graham previously told jurors he had been asleep that night and Mr Carruthers must have taken his car and phone without his knowledge. | Mr Graham previously told jurors he had been asleep that night and Mr Carruthers must have taken his car and phone without his knowledge. |
| On the sixth day of the trial, Mr Carruthers took to the witness box where he started by denying he had anything to do with felling the tree or filming it. | On the sixth day of the trial, Mr Carruthers took to the witness box where he started by denying he had anything to do with felling the tree or filming it. |
| His barrister Andrew Gurney asked why Mr Carruthers seemed so interested in the aftermath, exchanging screenshots of social media posts and press reports with his co-accused and swapping voice notes discussing it. | His barrister Andrew Gurney asked why Mr Carruthers seemed so interested in the aftermath, exchanging screenshots of social media posts and press reports with his co-accused and swapping voice notes discussing it. |
| Mr Carruthers said he just "couldn't understand" the hysteria he was seeing on Facebook and he had wanted to talk about with his friend. | |
| Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers each deny two counts of criminal damage | Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers each deny two counts of criminal damage |
| "I didn't understand how a tree would be able to hit the headlines as much as it did," he said. "It was almost as if someone had been murdered." | "I didn't understand how a tree would be able to hit the headlines as much as it did," he said. "It was almost as if someone had been murdered." |
| He was asked about a voice note in which he said an online commenter, who criticised the vandals, lacked the "minerals" to "launch an operation like we did". | He was asked about a voice note in which he said an online commenter, who criticised the vandals, lacked the "minerals" to "launch an operation like we did". |
| Mr Carruthers told jurors: "I think it's been interpreted wrong." | Mr Carruthers told jurors: "I think it's been interpreted wrong." |
| He said he had actually meant to say "he" instead of "we," referring to whoever who had felled the tree although he had "no idea" who that might be. | |
| Experts say a wedge of wood came from the tree and was pictured in Daniel Graham's car | Experts say a wedge of wood came from the tree and was pictured in Daniel Graham's car |
| Mr Graham had also claimed Mr Carruthers was fascinated with the tree, treasured a piece of string he had used to measure its circumference and had "mentioned" cutting it down, then admitted he had done so in a call to Mr Graham the morning after and later asked his friend to "take the blame". | Mr Graham had also claimed Mr Carruthers was fascinated with the tree, treasured a piece of string he had used to measure its circumference and had "mentioned" cutting it down, then admitted he had done so in a call to Mr Graham the morning after and later asked his friend to "take the blame". |
| Mr Carruthers told jurors none of that was true. | Mr Carruthers told jurors none of that was true. |
| He also told the court he had used a chainsaw to trim trees but never to fell one. | He also told the court he had used a chainsaw to trim trees but never to fell one. |
| Adam Carruthers has been giving evidence to jurors | Adam Carruthers has been giving evidence to jurors |
| In cross-examination, prosecutor Richard Wright KC asked Mr Carruthers who felled the tree. | In cross-examination, prosecutor Richard Wright KC asked Mr Carruthers who felled the tree. |
| Mr Carruthers replied he had "no clue at all", adding: "It wasn't me." | Mr Carruthers replied he had "no clue at all", adding: "It wasn't me." |
| He said he thought it was "just a tree" but then, the morning after it was felled, started seeing news reports and public comments appearing "more and more" on social media. | He said he thought it was "just a tree" but then, the morning after it was felled, started seeing news reports and public comments appearing "more and more" on social media. |
| The prosecutor suggested that was what was at the "heart" of the case. | The prosecutor suggested that was what was at the "heart" of the case. |
| "You thought 'it's just a tree'. | "You thought 'it's just a tree'. |
| "When the rest of the world didn't think it was just a tree, that it was a terrible and wicked thing to have done, you have lost your bottle and can't own up to it?" | "When the rest of the world didn't think it was just a tree, that it was a terrible and wicked thing to have done, you have lost your bottle and can't own up to it?" |
| Mr Carruthers replied: "That's not true." | Mr Carruthers replied: "That's not true." |
| The tree was planted on Hadrian's Wall in the 1800s | The tree was planted on Hadrian's Wall in the 1800s |
| He was asked about mobile phone tracking data which showed him travelling to a spot about four miles way from the tree the afternoon before it was felled. | He was asked about mobile phone tracking data which showed him travelling to a spot about four miles way from the tree the afternoon before it was felled. |
| Mr Graham's legal team suggested he was "doing a reconnoitre" of the tree, but Mr Carruthers claimed he was taking his partner and their new-born daughter on an impromptu excursion to the Metrocentre for food, turning around when the baby would not settle. | Mr Graham's legal team suggested he was "doing a reconnoitre" of the tree, but Mr Carruthers claimed he was taking his partner and their new-born daughter on an impromptu excursion to the Metrocentre for food, turning around when the baby would not settle. |
| Mr Wright asked if there were not restaurants in Carlisle they could have visited rather than make a three-hour round trip on an afternoon when storms were forecast to hit the area. | Mr Wright asked if there were not restaurants in Carlisle they could have visited rather than make a three-hour round trip on an afternoon when storms were forecast to hit the area. |
| Mr Carruthers replied the restaurants in Carlisle were "not the best" and the Metrocentre would be better. | Mr Carruthers replied the restaurants in Carlisle were "not the best" and the Metrocentre would be better. |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |
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