Two Cumbrian men have appeared in court in connection with the felling of the tree at Sycamore Gap.
Daniel Graham, 38, of Carlisle, and Adam Carruthers, 31, of Wigton, have appeared at Newcastle Magistrates’ Court yesterday, Wednesday May 15, charged with two counts of criminal damage.
One charge relates to cutting down the tree and the other charge has arisen out of damage to Hadrian’s Wall.
Both men are charged with criminal damage to property of a value over £5,000 without lawful excuse, damaged a sycamore tree to the value of £622,191 belonging to the National Trust.
The second charge is of criminal damage to property valued under £5,000, with the damage assessed to the UNESCO World Heritage site at £1,144.
Both offences were alleged to have been committed on September 28 last year.
Graham entered a not guilty plea to both charges.
Carruthers entered no pleas.
Graham and Carruthers were arrested in October and were released on police bail.
A teen and a man in his 60s who were also arrested in connection with the incident were told by police they would face no further action.
The iconic tree, which appeared in Kevin Costner’s Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves film in 1991, was believed to be around 300 years old.
The pair will appear at Newcastle Crown Court on June 12.
