Sycamore Gap, before the tree was felled. Photo: Bob Smith Photography

Two men were warned they face lengthy prison sentences after being convicted of felling the celebrated tree at Sycamore Gap on Hadrian’s Wall.

A jury at Newcastle Crown Court found Daniel Graham, 39, and Adam Carruthers, 32, both from the Carlisle area of Cumbria, guilty of criminal damage to the tree and also to the ancient Roman wall.

The pair had denied being responsible for cutting down the sycamore in September 2023, in an act the prosecutor Richard Wright KC described as a ‘moronic mission’.

At the end of the eight-day trial, the judge Mrs Justice Lambert remanded the men into custody pending pre-sentence reports. A sentencing hearing is due to be held on 15 July.

Adam Carruthers. Photo: Northumbria Police

Northumbria Police said: “An investigation has been ongoing since the iconic Northumberland tree was cut down.

“The court was told the two of them travelled to the site where one of them filmed the other using a chainsaw to fell the tree.

“Evidence put forward included that mobile phone footage.”

A spokesperson for the National Trust, which owns the site, said: “We would like to thank Northumbria Police and the Crown Prosecution Service for bringing this case to a resolution.

“The needless felling of the Sycamore Gap tree shocked people around the country and overseas, demonstrating the powerful connection between people and our natural heritage. It was felt particularly deeply here in the North-East of England where the tree was an emblem of the region and the backdrop to many personal memories.

Daniel Graham. Photo: Northumbria Police

“Our focus now is on creating a positive legacy for the tree, working in partnership with others. This includes planting the 49 ‘Trees of Hope’ grown from the original sycamore in communities across the UK later this year.”

The tree was believed to have been planted in the late 19th century and was passed by thousands of walkers each year, standing as it did next to Hadrian’s Wall on the route of both the Pennine Way and Hadrian’s Wall Walk national trails.

The sycamore featured in the film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, prompting numerous visits from members of the public to see the ‘Robin Hood tree’.