Two men were convicted on Friday, cutting Britain's love Accessible tree In 2023, amid an unexplained act of vandalism, it has aroused widespread anger.
Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers were found guilty by a Newcastle Crown Court jury on two counts of cutting down trees and pushing them to the walls of ancient Hadrian.
The tree is not the largest or oldest in England, but it is famous for its picturesque surroundings, and in 122 AD, two hills were planted between ancient walls built by Emperor Hadrian to protect the northwest border of the Roman Empire. The tree was immersed in a treeless landscape on Hadrian's walls.
The tree is known to the locals, but it has attracted international attention in Kevin Costner's 1991 film Robin Hood: Prince of Phieves. It attracts tourists, lovers, landscape photographers, and even those who spread the ashes of loved ones. It was named the 2016 "British Tree of the Year".
"For more than a century, accessibility has been an iconic natural landmark in northeast England, bringing immeasurable joy to those visiting the region," said Gale Gilchrist, the district's chief prosecutor, in a statement following the verdict. "In less than three minutes, Graham and Caruserth ended their historic heritage with intentional and unconscious acts of destruction."
Jurors considered about four hours Thursday and reached a verdict less than 30 minutes after meeting Friday morning. When reading the verdict, neither of the defendants showed any obvious reaction.
Judge Christina Lambert ordered the two to be detained until the sentence was announced on July 15, saying they could face a "long period of detention." The maximum sentence for criminal damage is 10 years in prison.
The defendants were once close friends and both testified that they had nothing to do with cutting down trees. Graham pointed his finger at the Carruthers.
Prosecutors showed a grainy video from Graham's cell phone with the cut down trees - a phone call sent to Carruthers shortly thereafter. Metadata shows it is located at the location of Northumberland National Park. Data shows that Graham's Range Rover has traveled there.
Prosecutor Richard Wright said he couldn't say who cut down the tree and who held the phone, but the two were the only people in the world who had videos on the device.
The next day, Carruthers and Graham exchanged text and voice messages that sparked their excitement as the story became popular.
Prosecutors provide no motive except to call their meaningless act of vandalism a crime. But Wright advised jurors in his closing argument that the men cut down the tree with a "slight laugh" but failed to realize the anger they elicited in "stiff and blind beating."
"As the news media passes, as the public anger becomes awake, they wake up and quickly realize it -- it must realize that they can't see other people smiling," Wright said. "Far from thinking they are big guys, but everyone else thinks they're pathetic."
Northumbria police said the two never explained their actions, adding that “there will never be a reasonable person”.
Prosecutors initially said the tree was worth more than 620,000 pounds (about $830,000) and the damage to the wall was estimated at 1,100 pounds (nearly $1,500). But on Friday, Prosecutor Rebecca Brown said the numbers were controversial and likely lower, but would still fall into the highest hazard category for sentencing purposes.
The BBC reported that the value of the tree is important because it is a factor that judges consider when deciding on sentences.