Sycamore Gap case cracked by 'fantastically famous' tree video
The detective who led the Sycamore Gap probe knew he had cracked the crime when he saw the 'fantastically famous outline of the tree' on a video uncovered on Daniel Graham's phone.
Police forensic experts took the pitch black footage with the sound of the chainsaw on it and uncovered a lone figure wielding the chainsaw and the irrefutable evidence of the tree falling to earth. Today, Det Insp Calum Meikle saw Adam Carruthers and Daniel Graham imprisoned for the senseless act of destruction. The shocking crime attracted more worldwide coverage than any other inquiry he has worked on, including serious crimes such as murder. And the discovery of the video footage on Graham's phone provided the vital breakthrough once it was established that it had been filmed on his handset and was not sent to him.
Today both men were jailed or four years and three months, with judge Mrs Justice Lambert condemning them for destroying the tree she described as part of the landscape and our "natural heritage". She said it was a landmark for Northumberland and a "symbol of the untamed beauty" of the landscape around Hadrian's Wall and had great personal significance for many people. The judge says she could not be sure what the men's motive was but believed "bravado" and "thrill seeking" were a major factor.
Looking back on the video footage which helped nail the pair, DI Meikle recalled: "You could hear the sound of the chainsaw. Once we had that enhanced it provided us with shocking images.
"It was obviously time stamped and date stamped. You hear a chainsaw and to get that enhanced was so important. It was the original media, it was not sent to them.
"The video itself then showed this fantastically famous outline of the tree. You see the stem move to the right.
"It was undoubtedly the Sycamore Gap." It was then that he knew they had cracked the case, adding: "I am just happy to have delivered the two people that I know are responsible."
But he still struggles to comprehend why they carried out one of the most infamous crimes of recent times. And exactly why they set off on their 'moronic' mission remains a mystery.
As Carruthers, 32, and Graham, 39, finally faced justice, he told how that infuriated Nature lovers around the world. The universal repulsion to the felling of the tree meant colleagues all told him that they 'wouldn't want that job'.
He revealed that the pair could not be charged with destruction of the tree because the stump was still growing, despite the Sycamore having been in place for 150 years.
But the Scots-born detective, whose dad used to work in forestry, felt satisfaction at the pair finally being brought to justice on the charge of criminal damage - which carries the same 10-year maximum sentence as the charge of destruction.
Former mountaineering instructor DI Meikle, 51, who was born near the Isle of Skye, said: "I've been lucky enough to work in quite a number of elements of policing now.
"But in the 21 years I've been with the force, this has been unique. I tried to put external pressures to one side and make sure that I focused upon the task in hand. There is a personal pressure. There's also a personal pride.
"At a family event or social event when you say you're working on the Sycamore Gap, people say it is an incredible case.
"And within the force you would get people saying: 'I wouldn't want that job'.
"None of us really anticipated just how big this was to become.
"I certainly don't think that they fully understood the enormity of their actions."
He told how he had been asked to do the job because of his upbringing and knowledge of forestry. He was called in to examine the tree within hours of it being cut down. And he admitted: "The first question people ask is why?
"That's something that we still don't fully understand. I know that there are a lot of suggestions and theories about this. But there are only two people that really will potentially ever know.
"That is the biggest frustration. If there was an obvious grudge, as you say, then people could understand it.
"And there's normally a driver behind crime, but we don't know what the purpose of this was, what the reason was.
"I would say that the community, especially the local community, are increasingly frustrated.
"I am just happy to have delivered, the two people that I know are responsible."
There was 'intelligence' provided to police two weeks after the tree was felled in September, 2023, led to Graham and Carruthers being named as the men responsible; the intelligence indicated that they still had a trophy from the scene.
That then led to the identification of Graham's vehicle in the area on the night. And seizure of his phone uncovered the vital video evidence of the tree being felled.
The jury was shown the footage during dramatic opening days of evidence at Newcastle crown court, and DI Meikle knew that was pivotal in bringing the successful prosecution.
He recalled: "The video recovered from Daniel Graham's mobile phone and when we first found it, it was just a black video with sound, the sound of the chainsaw.
"However, once we had that enhanced, that then provided us with shocking images. It was very satisfying to have found that as a result of the arrest, and take that to a point of credible evidence.
"I'm always impressed with what the digital forensic units are able to achieve.
"That was the key moment for us."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
13 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
From bragging posts to iconic vid – the damning evidence that led to arrest of idiots who chopped down Sycamore Gap tree
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE two idiots who felled the historic Sycamore Gap tree have finally been jailed for their shocking crime. Now, we reveal the damning evidence that led to their conviction, from bragging posts to a shocking video of the chopping. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 10 The two men who chopped down the Sycamore Gap tree have finally been jailed Credit: EPA 10 The historic tree had stood by Hadrian's Wall for more than a century before it was felled in September 2023 Credit: AFP 10 Video footage extracted from one of the criminals' phones shows how Carruthers cut down the tree using a chain saw late at night Credit: PA Daniel Graham, 39, and Adam Carruthers, 32, were jailed on Tuesday for four years and three months each. Detective Inspector Calum Meikle, who investigated the felling, said he knew he'd solved the crime when he saw the tree's "fantastically famous outline" on one of the perpetrator's phones. He revealed that officers were "tipped off" about Graham and Carruthers' involvement a few weeks after the shocking felling of the historic tree in September 2023. The tip-off stated that the pair of ground workers were responsible for chopping the tree down, even keeping a piece of the wood as a trophy. This led to the arrest of both men and seizing of their phones. Speaking to the Daily Mail, DI Meikle said a video recovered from Graham's device was incredibly dark, with details almost impossible to see. However, after sending it to be digitally enhanced, investigators discovered they had found evidence of the tree being destroyed. Gasps could be heard at Newcastle Crown Court as the now iconic grainy black and white video - accompanied by the sound of a revving chainsaw and cracking wood - was shown for the first time. DI Meikle said: "I'm always impressed with what our digital forensic units are able to achieve. "But, as you have seen from the video, as the person filming moves back, it shows us that fantastically famous outline (which) was undoubtedly the Sycamore Gap tree. Men who cut down iconic Sycamore Gap tree sentenced to 4 years and 3 months in jail "I was very pleased to have that evidence." Graham's phone also housed multiple other pieces of damning evidence, including photographs of a wedge of the tree trunk taken by the criminal as well as that of a chainsaw in the boot of his Range Rover. The pair of idiots not only chopped down the history tree but also damaged Hadrian's Wall during their "moronic mission". In just two minutes and 41 seconds, the two men chopped down the tree, which had stood next to the historic wall for more than a century. At their trial, the court heard how the pair had only recently admitted to responsibility for the felling in interviews with the Probation Service. They accepted they drove 30 miles through a storm to chop down the iconic landmark in the early hours of September 28, 2023. 10 Pictures recovered from Graham's phone show a piece of the iconic tree, and the chainsaw used for the shocking act, in the back of his vehicle Credit: PA 10 DI Meikle said he knew he'd solved the crime when he saw the tree's 'fantastically famous outline' on Graham's phone footage Credit: PA 10 The pair of idiots had travelled from Carlisle overnight to commit the shocking act of vandalism Credit: PA Mrs Justice Christina Lambert said: "I can now be sure you, Adam Carruthers, were the person who felled the tree and you, Daniel Graham, assisted and encouraged him by driving there and back and not least by filming it on your phone." As they fled the scene, Carruthers forwarded the sick video to his partner. The wedge of the iconic tree - which was photographed in their vehicle - has never been found. Following their shocking crime, and as news broke of the vandalism, the pair shared social media posts about the tree, with Graham saying to Carruthers "here we go," as they "revelled" in reports of the crime. Although prosecutors said the friends had chopped the famous tree down for "a bit of a laugh," and suggested Carruthers was so obsessed with the Sycamore Gap that he wanted the wedge as a special souvenir for his newborn daughter, neither has offered any proper explanation for why they did what they did. This week, Carruthers claimed he had drunk a bottle of whisky and could barely remember chopping down the tree - although the judge said this was implausible due to the skill and coordination of the crime. Andrew Gurney, representing Carruthers, said he had made the admissions in a pre-sentence report. 10 Judge Mrs Justice Lambert delivered the sentencing of both criminals this week Credit: PA 10 Daniel Graham, 39, has been sentenced to four years and three months in prison for his role in the felling of the Sycamore Gap tree 10 Adam Carruthers, 32 - who chopped the tree down with a chainsaw - has also been jailed for the same time He said: "He does wish to cleanse his conscience of what he has done. People want to know 'Why? Why did you conduct this mindless act?' "Unfortunately, it is no more than drunken stupidity. He felled that tree and it is something he will regret for the rest of his life. "There's no better explanation than that.' Richard Wright KC, prosecuting, said there had been a 'high degree of planning and premeditation'. He said: "This was an expedition which required significant planning in terms of taking a vehicle, driving for about 40 minutes to a car park, taking with them appropriate specialist equipment, carrying the equipment for about 20 minutes' walk in each direction. 'The felling was carried out in a deliberate, professional way.' On the other side, Graham continued to blame his accomplice, insisting cutting the tree down had been Carruthers' "dream" and "his show" which he simply went along with. The criminal also claimed he was "shocked" that Carruthers had followed through with his plan.
The Sun
15 minutes ago
- The Sun
From bragging posts to iconic vid – the damning evidence that led to arrest of idiots who chopped down Sycamore Gap tree
THE two idiots who felled the historic Sycamore Gap tree have finally been jailed for their shocking crime. Now, we reveal the damning evidence that led to their conviction, from bragging posts to a shocking video of the chopping. 10 10 10 Daniel Graham, 39, and Adam Carruthers, 32, were jailed on Tuesday for four years and three months each. Detective Inspector Calum Meikle, who investigated the felling, said he knew he'd solved the crime when he saw the tree's "fantastically famous outline" on one of the perpetrator's phones. He revealed that officers were "tipped off" about Graham and Carruthers' involvement a few weeks after the shocking felling of the historic tree in September 2023. The tip-off stated that the pair of ground workers were responsible for chopping the tree down, even keeping a piece of the wood as a trophy. This led to the arrest of both men and seizing of their phones. Speaking to the Daily Mail, DI Meikle said a video recovered from Graham's device was incredibly dark, with details almost impossible to see. However, after sending it to be digitally enhanced, investigators discovered they had found evidence of the tree being destroyed. Gasps could be heard at Newcastle Crown Court as the now iconic grainy black and white video - accompanied by the sound of a revving chainsaw and cracking wood - was shown for the first time. DI Meikle said: "I'm always impressed with what our digital forensic units are able to achieve. "But, as you have seen from the video, as the person filming moves back, it shows us that fantastically famous outline (which) was undoubtedly the Sycamore Gap tree. Men who cut down iconic Sycamore Gap tree sentenced to 4 years and 3 months in jail "I was very pleased to have that evidence." Graham's phone also housed multiple other pieces of damning evidence, including photographs of a wedge of the tree trunk taken by the criminal as well as that of a chainsaw in the boot of his Range Rover. The pair of idiots not only chopped down the history tree but also damaged Hadrian's Wall during their "moronic mission". In just two minutes and 41 seconds, the two men chopped down the tree, which had stood next to the historic wall for more than a century. At their trial, the court heard how the pair had only recently admitted to responsibility for the felling in interviews with the Probation Service. They accepted they drove 30 miles through a storm to chop down the iconic landmark in the early hours of September 28, 2023. 10 10 10 Mrs Justice Christina Lambert said: "I can now be sure you, Adam Carruthers, were the person who felled the tree and you, Daniel Graham, assisted and encouraged him by driving there and back and not least by filming it on your phone." As they fled the scene, Carruthers forwarded the sick video to his partner. The wedge of the iconic tree - which was photographed in their vehicle - has never been found. Following their shocking crime, and as news broke of the vandalism, the pair shared social media posts about the tree, with Graham saying to Carruthers "here we go," as they "revelled" in reports of the crime. Although prosecutors said the friends had chopped the famous tree down for "a bit of a laugh," and suggested Carruthers was so obsessed with the Sycamore Gap that he wanted the wedge as a special souvenir for his newborn daughter, neither has offered any proper explanation for why they did what they did. This week, Carruthers claimed he had drunk a bottle of whisky and could barely remember chopping down the tree - although the judge said this was implausible due to the skill and coordination of the crime. Andrew Gurney, representing Carruthers, said he had made the admissions in a pre-sentence report. 10 10 10 He said: "He does wish to cleanse his conscience of what he has done. People want to know 'Why? Why did you conduct this mindless act?' "Unfortunately, it is no more than drunken stupidity. He felled that tree and it is something he will regret for the rest of his life. "There's no better explanation than that.' Richard Wright KC, prosecuting, said there had been a 'high degree of planning and premeditation'. He said: "This was an expedition which required significant planning in terms of taking a vehicle, driving for about 40 minutes to a car park, taking with them appropriate specialist equipment, carrying the equipment for about 20 minutes' walk in each direction. 'The felling was carried out in a deliberate, professional way.' On the other side, Graham continued to blame his accomplice, insisting cutting the tree down had been Carruthers' "dream" and "his show" which he simply went along with. The criminal also claimed he was "shocked" that Carruthers had followed through with his plan.
The Guardian
5 hours ago
- The Guardian
Two men behind ‘senseless' felling of Sycamore Gap tree jailed for more than four years
Two men who carried out a 'moronic mission' to fell one of the most loved and photographed trees in the UK have been jailed. Daniel Graham, 39, and Adam Carruthers, 32, were each given prison sentences of four years and three months for an act of criminal damage that caused the Sycamore Gap tree to crash down on to Hadrian's wall in Northumberland on a stormy September night in 2023. The attack, using a chainsaw in the middle of the night, was met with sadness, disbelief and anger that rippled around the world. Sentencing the men at Newcastle crown court, Mrs Justice Lambert said the motive remained unclear but she rejected a claim by Carruthers that he was drunk. The judge said Carruthers cut down the tree with a chainsaw while Graham filmed him, suggesting that 'sheer bravado' and 'some sort of thrill' were likely factors. The sycamore was probably planted in the late 19th century and in recent decades the site was known as a beauty spot where people went to picnic, celebrate birthdays, propose marriage, spread ashes or just take photos. Graham, from Carlisle, and Carruthers, from Wigton, were found guilty in May of the criminal damage of the tree and the wall beside it, a Unesco world heritage site. They had denied the offence even though there was evidence that Graham's car had been used to drive to the beauty spot with a chainsaw in the boot. During an eight-day trial, the jury watched footage from Graham's phone of the tree being felled and heard messages between the pair that the prosecution said showed them revelling in the infamy. The prosecutor, Richard Wright KC, said during the trial that the crime was a 'moronic mission' and the 'arboreal equivalent of mindless thuggery', and that the two men showed a 'basic lack of decency and courage to own up to what they did'. At the sentencing on Tuesday, the court heard a victim impact statement from Andrew Poad, general manager for the National Trust of the Sycamore Gap site. Read by a barrister, the statement described the public response to the felling as 'unprecedented', adding that 'an overwhelming sense of loss and confusion' had been felt around the world. 'The question was why anyone would do this to such a beautiful tree in such a special place. It was beyond comprehension,' he said. 'This iconic tree can never be replaced. It belonged to the people. It was a totemic symbol.' Carruthers' barrister, Andrew Gurney, said his client would have to 'bear the burden of what he had done for the rest of his life'. 'He is a man of previous good character,' Gurney said. 'That is gone. He will forever be linked to this act. He will have to carry this as some form of personal penance.' Gurney acknowledged people wanted to know why the tree had been felled, but said: 'Unfortunately it is no more than drunken stupidity. It is something he will regret for the rest of his life.' At the sentencing Wright urged the court to reject the idea that either man was intoxicated. 'The court can be sure they were sober and prepared to do what they did,' he said, with the felling requiring a 'high degree of planning and premeditation'. Wright added: 'This was an expedition which required significant planning in terms of taking a vehicle, driving for about 40 minutes to a car park, taking with them appropriate specialist equipment, carrying the equipment for about 20 minutes' walk in each direction. 'The felling was carried out in a deliberate, professional way.' Christopher Knox, defence barrister for Graham, said his client had been remanded in custody before the trial for 'his own sake' after attempting to take his own life. Knox described Graham, who owned a groundwork business, as a 'troubled man' who had a much more positive side to him than what was being seen in court. 'This is a man who was making a living with a decent business, a proper business,' he said. He said Graham's home had been damaged since his arrest and he had received hate mail. The judge said the felling caused widespread distress. She told them: 'You revelled in the coverage, taking pride in what you have done, knowing you were responsible for the crime so many people were talking about. 'Whether that was the sole explanation for what you did, I do not know, however I know you are both equally culpable.' Kim McGuinness, the metro mayor for north-east England, said she hoped the pair now realised the seriousness of their actions. 'I'm glad to finally see justice being done, but the sentence could never reflect the devastation we all still feel for the loss of our beloved Sycamore Gap tree,' she said. The public gallery was packed for the sentencing and included 78-year-old Sheila Hillman, who had travelled up with her husband John, 84, from Wolverhampton. Originally from Newcastle, she said she was 'incensed and heartbroken' by the felling and wanted to see justice being done. But she thought the sentences were too short and still did not understand why the pair had done it. 'There's plenty of trees in Cumbria for them to cut down.'
