Wearing balaclavas over their faces, the two men accused of causing criminal damage in connection with the felling of the Sycamore Gap tree appeared in court.
Two counts of criminal damage were brought against Daniel Graham, 38, of Milbeck Stables, Carlisle, and Adam Carruthers, 31, of Newcastle Magistrates’ Court, who showed up wearing black balaclavas on Wednesday.
Carruthers, of Church Street, Wigton, Cumbria, entered no plea, while Graham, of Milbeck Stables, Carlisle, filed a not guilty plea.
The two are accused of damaging a sycamore tree worth £622,191 that belongs to the National Trust “without lawful excuse” and causing criminal damage to property valued at more than £5,000.
A second allegation of criminal damage to property valued under £5,000 is brought against them; the damage to Hadrian’s Wall, a Unesco World Heritage Site, is estimated to cost £1,144.
According to the allegations, both acts were committed on September 28 of last year.
Following the removal of the tree, Northumbria Police made many arrests. A man in his 60s and an adolescent were then informed that they would not be prosecuted any further
The National Trust, the owner of the site where the tree once stood, had expressed hope earlier that the sycamore would survive when researchers discovered that cuttings and saved seeds were exhibiting encouraging signs of being viable for new growth.
