2 men convicted of cutting down beloved Sycamore Gap tree in northern England in 2023

Two men have been convicted of cutting down the beloved Sycamore Gap tree in northern England

LONDON -- Two men were convicted Friday of cutting down the beloved Sycamore Gap tree in northern England in 2023.

A Newcastle Crown Court jury found Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers guilty of two counts each of criminal damage for felling the tree and toppling it onto the ancient Hadrian’s Wall.

Jurors deliberated about four hours on Thursday and reached a verdict after less than 30 minutes Friday morning.

The defendants, once close friends, both testified that they had nothing to do with cutting down the tree. Graham pointed the finger at Carruthers.

But prosecutors played video from Graham’s phone of the tree being cut down and showed that his Range Rover had traveled toward the tree the night it was cut down in September 2023.

Text and voice messages were shown to the jury of the two men boasting of the act the next day as news of the tree’s demise spread around the world.

Prosecutors said the tree was valued at more than 620,000 pounds (around $830,000) and damage to the wall was estimated at 1,100 pounds (nearly $1,500).