Sycamore Gap: Man pleads not guilty to cutting down tree

Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers appeared at court on Wednesday

A man has pleaded not guilty to chopping down the world-famous Sycamore Gap tree.

Daniel Graham, of 38, and Adam Carruthers, 31, were charged with criminal damage both to the tree and to Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland.

Mr Graham, of Carlisle, entered pleas of not guilty to both charges before Newcastle magistrates. Mr Carruthers, of Wigton, Cumbria, entered no plea.

The tree was cut down in September and the men were arrested in October.

The criminal damage caused by the felling of the Sycamore Gap tree has been valued at more than £620,000, according to court documents.

Harm to the tree has been valued at £622,191, with £1,144 for the wall.

Both offences were alleged to have been committed on 28 September last year.

The tree, which had stood next to Hadrian's Wall since the late-1800s, was cut down in September

The felling of the much-photographed tree, which has stood next to the Roman wall since the late 1800s, caused an international outpouring of shock and dismay.

The tree had been popular with visitors and tourists, with millions of people travelling to the Northumberland site.

In a nine-minute hearing the men spoke to confirm their names and addresses.

District Judge Zoe Passfield said she understood that "feelings are running high in respect of the case".

Prosecutor Rebecca Brown said the case would be "instantly recognisable" and the Sycamore Gap tree was "deliberately felled".

Both men were bailed until their next appearance, at Newcastle Crown Court on 12 June.

Daniel Graham denied causing the damage and Adam Carruthers entered no plea