Former friends Daniel Graham, 39, and Adam Carruthers, 32, were convicted of criminal damage to the much-loved tree, which had stood for more than 100 years in a fold in the landscape, in May.
The pair were also convicted of criminal damage to Hadrian’s Wall, caused when the sycamore fell on the ancient monument.
Graham and Carruthers, who have been held in custody following their trial, had initially both sought to blame one another.
He told the court they denied intending for the tree to be cut down, either saying they were intoxicated or that they “didn’t believe it would happen until it did”.
Mr Wright said: “The prosecution rejects these late admissions… The court can be sure they were sober and prepared to do what they did.”
The tree’s value was initially assessed as £622,191 (Photo: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire)
Detailing which of the “experienced tree surgeons” took on which role, Mrs Justice Lambert said Carruthers cut down the tree and Graham filmed the act.
The tree was a symbol of Northumberland, was the site of countless family visits and featured in the Kevin Costner and Morgan Freeman film, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.
Richard Wright KC, prosecuting, said the value of the tree has been disputed, and that the lowest figure the Crown would agree with was £458,000. Defence experts said it was closer to £150,000.
The Sycamore Gap tree fellers’ sentence – explained
When she remanded the pair, Mrs Justice Lambert said they could face “a lengthy period in custody”.
The maximum sentence for criminal damage where the value exceeds £5,000 is 10 years and aggravating factors include whether it was done to a heritage or cultural asset and evidence of wider impact on the community.
On Tuesday, Mr Wright said the two offences were committed jointly by both defendants throughout.
Mrs Justice Lambert asked if Mr Wright would consider a four-year sentence sufficient.
He said it was not for the Crown to suggest a specific sentence but the guidelines provided “headroom” for the judge to take the starting point of 18 months and then lengthen the jail term when considering aggravating factors.
The court found count one fell into the highest categories for both culpability and harm, which yields a sentence range of six months to four years in custody, with a starting point of one-and-a-half years in custody.
Mrs Justice Lambert found count two fell in category b, medium culpability, and category two for harm. The sentence range extends from a medium level community order to nine months in custody, with the starting point of a high level community order.
Graham’s Range Rover was picked up on automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras between Carlisle and Sycamore Gap at night on 27 September 2023, and returning early the next morning. His mobile was traced to phone masts making the same journey.
square CRIME Sycamore Gap tree vandals to learn their fate
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Messages and voice notes between Graham and Carruthers the next day showed them talking about the story going “wild” and “viral”.
Carruthers denied this and told the court he could not understand the outcry over the story, saying it was “just a tree”.
Shoots appear to be growing on the base of Sycamore gap tree in Northumberland (Photo: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire)Mr Poad said: “This iconic tree can never be replaced.
“It was totemic.”
“The question was why anyone would do this to such a beautiful tree in such a special place.
Additional reporting by PA News Agency
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