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    ‘It’s just a tree’: Sycamore Gap accused couldn’t understand its media interest, court hears
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    ‘It’s just a tree’: Sycamore Gap accused couldn’t understand its media interest, court hears

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    26 Comments

    2. Baslifico on

      > The court heard evidence that on the afternoon before the felling, Carruthers’ phone had been traced going from his partner’s home on Kirkbride airfield, Cumbria, to the Haydon Bridge area of Northumberland.

      They’ll track movements via mobile phone for a tree, yet somehow never seem willing to do the same when you report an assault.

    3. AdditionalThinking on

      Even a non-famous tree would have been home to thousands of bugs more likeable than these two.

    5. Bobbler23 on

      Bollocks did they, they did it because of its heritage, to cause outrage and are too cowardly to own up to it.

    6. Careless_Agency5365 on

      If it was just a tree then why was it worth filming and destroying. They knew exactly what they were doing

    7. kirkyrise on

      Hope these thick idiots get given extra time for all the blatant lies.

    8. reckless-rogboy on

      These two perpetrators are just so dumb, I am embarrassed for them. One of them had his incriminating voicemail messages played out loud in court, and outright denied he spoke the words everyone else heard.

      Probably should feel sorry for the barristers having to defend these morons. I get the impression the accused aren’t difficult to hate.

    9. LazarusOwenhart on

      Just the most obviously guilty people imaginable and they’re STILL denying it. Like a 5 year old caught with his hands covered in paint who just has no idea why the carpet is a mess.

    10. Significant_Glove274 on

      I honestly think you should get extra jail time for such pathetic defences – it’s an enormous waste of the courts time.

    11. _L_R_S_ on

      “It’s just a wall. I mean Hadrian didn’t even build it himself!”

    12. chilli_con_camera on

      I don’t understand the motive. None of the reporting I’ve seen has suggested that the prosecution has done anything but hint it was for shits and giggles.

      If the jury finds them guilty, I hope the judge throws the book at them.

    13. london_10ten on

      The defence in this trial is absolutely wild.

      I can’t wait for the judges summing up comments once the jury has deliberated and given their verdict.

    14. ruffianrevolution on

      The attitude “it’s just a tree, what’s all the fuss about” is just to distract themselves from thinking about the fact its not so much the importance of the tree as how much of a wanker must you be to choose to chop it down?

      And no one likes to think that about themselves. Especially when they’ve done it in public and there’s no hiding from it, ever.

    16. Superbuddhapunk on

      Of course it’s not “just a tree”, it’s a historical landmark and a popular tourist attraction. He’s not too bright, is he?

    17. SlightlyBored13 on

      If they thought it was just a tree, one wonders why they did it in the dead of night and have spent all this time denying it

    18. Artistic_Data9398 on

      Ditto. Its literally wood lol. I get if it was a building or a statue or even someone’s fucking garden tree

      But its just a tree which 99.99% the world have no idea what it respresents.

      It is, just a tree.

    19. Next-Ability2934 on

      So far, a 16 year old has been arrested, a 60 year old, and now this pair. [Hadrian’s wall](https://www.npr.org/2023/11/13/1212725816/hadrians-wall-was-damaged-when-the-sycamore-gap-tree-came-down-analysis-finds) was partly damaged too, as a result of the fall, although limited.

      ‘Prosecutors alleged the pair were on a “moronic mission” to topple the tree and afterwards “revelled” in the national and international headlines that it made.

      Graham, of Carlisle, and Carruthers, of Wigton, are jointly charged with causing criminal damage worth £622,191 to the tree. They are also charged with causing £1,144 of damage to Hadrian’s Wall, a Unesco world heritage site.

      Graham and Carruthers deny all the charges against them. In a voice note, Carruthers said: “I’d like to see Kevin Hartness launch an operation like *we* did last night … I don’t think he’s got the minerals.”

      The court had heard evidence of a number of messages between Graham and Carruthers, including a forwarded Facebook post from a man called Kevin Hartness saying: “Some weak people that walk this earth … disgusting behaviour.”

      In court Carruthers said he did not say “we” but actually said “an operation like *he* did”. The voice note was played four times. Carruthers said: “I must have got my words mixed up. I meant to say what *he* did.”

      The trial continues.’

    20. weeklybeatings on

      Yet they decided to drive 40 minutes and lug heavy gear to the historical site, in the middle of a storm, and out of all “just trees” they passed… that was THE one they chose??

      What complete and utter tosh! They understood that tree held much more significance than that! Judge should hold them in contempt of court for spouting something as asinine as that.

    21. Panda_hat on

      I don’t really care what their thoughts or feelings on the tree were, nor consider them necessary context. This was a deliberate, malignant act.

      The tree was a national landmark and local treasure. Lock em up and charge them a fortune.

    22. arnathor on

      If he didn’t understand why did he drive out to it in the middle of the night and film himself cutting it down?

      *Obviously* he knew.

    23. SongsOfDragons on

      I work in arboriculture. My office has a guessing board going for how big (or small!) the slap on the wrists is going to be.

      Some interesting discussions today about what the CAVAT reports said.

    24. Talysn on

      This is just one of those things I’ll never understand, causing absolutely pointless damage, no benefit, no mater how twisted, just plain damage and destruction of nature for literally no reason.

      I just dont understand why.