Man who felled Sycamore Gap tree released early

Adam Carruthers, 33, has been granted early release from prison following the destruction of the Sycamore Gap tree. Alongside Daniel Graham, 39, he was sentenced to four years and three months in July of last year for damaging the iconic tree located near Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland. The judge, Mrs Justice Lambert, determined that 40% of their sentence would be served in prison, while the remaining 60% would be completed on a community licence.

Carruthers, hailing from Wigton in Cumbria, is now under the Home Detention Curfew Scheme, according to the Ministry of Justice. This decision was made by the jail governor after assessing the risk associated with his release. A spokesperson for the Ministry stated that individuals in this scheme must adhere to strict licence conditions and wear a tracking device. “Those who breach the rules may be sent back to prison,” the statement noted.

“The judge ruled that 40% of their sentence would be served in prison, while the remaining 60% would be completed on a community licence.”

Convicted of criminal damage to the revered tree, which had stood for over a century in a Northumberland landscape feature, Carruthers and Graham were also found guilty of harming Hadrian’s Wall. The sycamore’s fall in September 2023 caused additional damage to the historic structure. During the trial at Newcastle Crown Court, it was revealed the pair embarked on a “moronic mission” to topple the landmark. They traveled more than 40 minutes from their Cumbrian homes, navigating stormy, pitch-black moorland with their tools.

The duo took a wedge from the tree as a keepsake and welcomed the media attention that followed the incident, which sparked outrage across the UK and globally. Mrs Justice Lambert concluded Carruthers executed the act of felling the tree, with Graham driving him to the site and recording the event on his phone. Follow BBC North East on X and Facebook, and BBC Cumbria on X and Facebook, with both outlets active on Nextdoor and Instagram.