Adam Carruthers was convicted for felling the Sycamore Gap tree and damaging Hadrian's Wall in September 2023. According to major media reports, Carruthers has been released from prison after serving 10 months of his sentence under the Home Detention Curfew Scheme. The Sycamore Gap tree was illegally felled in September 2023, according to research from four sources. According to Daily Mirror - Main, Adam Carruthers described being happy to be out of jail and back to work.
The Home Detention Curfew Scheme allows prisoners to serve part of their sentence at home with an electronic tag, according to major media reports. Judge Lambert stated that Adam Carruthers and Daniel Graham will be released no later than 40% through their prison sentences. Under the Home Detention Curfew Scheme, prisoners can be released after serving half of the time, which for Adam Carruthers would have been March 15 this year, according to major media. A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said that anyone released into Home Detention Curfew faces strict licence conditions and must be tagged, and those who break the rules can be returned to prison.
The Sycamore Gap tree had stood for more than 100 years, according to research from four sources. The tree was situated next to Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland National Park, according to research from two sources. The Sycamore Gap tree featured in the 1991 film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and was a popular spot for photographers, hikers, and marriage proposals, according to research from four sources.
The felling occurred during Storm Agnes in the early hours of September 28, 2023, according to research from four sources. The judge stated that Adam Carruthers marked the trunk with spray paint before felling the tree in 2.5-3 minutes, and Daniel Graham recorded the felling on his phone. According to major media reports, Adam Carruthers and Daniel Graham drove 40 miles from the Carlisle area to the Sycamore Gap site on September 28, 2023. The court was shown a video from Daniel Graham's phone showing Adam Carruthers chopping down the tree before it fell onto Hadrian's Wall, according to major media.
The judge did not accept the defendants' explanations as wholly honest or the whole story, and their motivation was unclear, according to the judge. Their lawyers stated that Adam Carruthers and Daniel Graham denied involvement in the felling but accepted responsibility when speaking to probation officers. Judge Christina Lambert told the men they cut down the tree out of 'sheer bravado' and later bragged about it.
According to major media reports, Adam Carruthers has returned to work at Cumbria Turf in Kirkbride.
I am happy to be out of jail and I am back to work.
An email address set up after the felling received 600 responses in a month, according to Andrew Poad.
Seedlings from the original Sycamore Gap tree are being planted in all 15 UK National Parks as part of the 'Trees of Hope' legacy project, according to research from two sources. The 'Trees of Hope' project involves 49 saplings grown from seeds rescued from the original tree, each representing one foot in height of the tree, according to research from four sources.
The National Trust launched a public vote to select an artist to create a public artwork from the saved wood of the tree, according to research from four sources. The largest part of the tree will go on display in an installation near where it once stood, according to Northumberland National Park.
The National Trust said in August there were signs of life at the base of the tree, giving hope it might live on. According to major media reports, the Twice Brewed Inn near Sycamore Gap is home to a slice of the felled tree.
The specific conditions Carruthers must follow under the Home Detention Curfew Scheme beyond wearing an electronic tag have not been publicly detailed. It remains unknown whether Daniel Graham has also been released from prison or remains incarcerated.
The exact motivation behind Adam Carruthers and Daniel Graham felling the Sycamore Gap tree remains unclear, as the judge found their explanations unconvincing. The current status of the Sycamore Gap tree's base and whether it is showing continued signs of life since August remains uncertain.