Jury Finds Two Men in Their 30s Guilty
Illegal Felling of Local Landmark Tree
"Thoughtless Act of Violence... Lacked Even the Courage to Confess"
Two men in their 30s have been found guilty of illegally cutting down the famous tree known as the "Robin Hood Tree" in England, which gained fame after appearing in the 1991 film "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves" starring Kevin Costner.
According to reports from the Associated Press and The Times on May 9 (local time), a jury at Newcastle Crown Court in England delivered a guilty verdict against Daniel Graham (39) and Adam Carruthers (32) on charges of damaging the Sycamore Gap tree and Hadrian's Wall.
The jury determined that Graham and Carruthers conspired together to cut down the tree and damage part of the wall, causing damages estimated at 622,191 pounds (approximately 1.16 billion won) and 1,144 pounds (approximately 2.1 million won), respectively. Sentencing is scheduled for July 15. The maximum penalty for criminal damage is 10 years in prison.
The Sycamore Gap tree, estimated to have been around 200 years old, stood in Northumberland, northern England, next to the wall built by Emperor Hadrian in AD 122 to defend the northern frontier of the Roman Empire. This wall is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The tree was beloved for its picturesque location between two hills along the wall. In 2016, it was named "Tree of the Year" in a competition organized by the Woodland Trust, a British forest conservation group.
In September 2023, a sycamore gap tree was cut down and fell over Hadrian's Wall. Photo by Yonhap News
The tree gained international fame after appearing in the 1991 Hollywood film "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves," starring Kevin Costner and Morgan Freeman.
However, in September 2023, the tree was found completely felled overnight, lying across the top of the wall. The incident shocked the local community, and a candlelight vigil was held with many people in attendance.
Graham and Carruthers, who were friends, were arrested in October of the same year and charged in May of last year. Graham, who runs a small construction business, claimed that Carruthers, a mechanic, was responsible, while Carruthers denied the crime. However, numerous pieces of evidence, including text messages and videos exchanged between them, pointed to their involvement.
The exact details and motives behind their actions remain unclear. In his closing argument, prosecutor Richard Wright stated that the defendants "committed a senseless act of violence as if it were a joke, but when they realized the public outrage, they didn't even have the courage to confess."
In a statement released after the verdict, prosecutors said, "For over a century, Sycamore Gap has been an iconic natural landmark that brought great joy to visitors," and emphasized, "In less than three minutes, these individuals deliberately and recklessly destroyed a historic heritage."
Meanwhile, last year, the National Trust, a British heritage management organization, announced plans to replant the tree's remains and seeds.
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