Sycamore Gap tree - latest: Man pleads not guilty to charges as damage valued at more than £620,000

A district judge said that the case of two men accused of felling the famous Sycamore Gap tree was so serious that it must be dealt with at the crown court.

Daniel Graham, 38, of Milbeck Stables, Carlisle, and Adam Carruthers, 31, of Church Street, Wigton, Cumbria, are accused of causing £622,191 worth of damage to the much-photographed tree.

They are also accused of causing £1,144 worth of damage to Hadrian’s Wall, a Unesco World Heritage Site, which was hit by the falling tree when it was felled overnight on September 28.

Both the tree and the wall were said to belong to the National Trust.

Graham entered pleas of not guilty, while Carruthers entered no plea.

District Judge Zoe Passfield declined jurisdiction, saying: “This case is too serious to be heard in the magistrates’ court.”

The pair will attend Newcastle Crown Court on June 12 for their next hearing and they were both granted unconditional bail in the meantime.

Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers were pictured leaving Newcastle Upon Tyne Magistrates’ Court after appearing in connection with the felling of the Sycamore Gap tree.

The much-photographed tree, which stood next to Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland for 200 years, was chopped down in September last year, causing a national outrage.

Graham and Carruthers face charges of criminal damage to the tree and to the wall, which is a World Heritage Site.

A man accused of felling the famous Sycamore Gap tree has denied charges of criminal damage.

Daniel Graham, 38, and Adam Carruthers, 31, appeared at Newcastle Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.

Graham, of Milbeck Stables, Carlisle, entered pleas of not guilty, while Carruthers, of Church Street, Wigton, Cumbria, entered no pleas.

The pair are charged with criminal damage to property of a value over £5,000, namely “without lawful excuse, damaged a sycamore tree to the value of £622,191 belonging to the National Trust”.

They face a second charge of criminal damage to property valued under £5,000, namely Hadrian’s Wall, with the damage assessed to the Unesco World Heritage Site as being £1,144.

Both offences were alleged to have been committed on September 28 last year.

The fate of the felled Sycamore Gap tree has been decided as it is set to be displayed at a tourist attraction near its original site.

There was an outcry when the tree was illegally chainsawed in September, with Northumberland National Park saying it had received 2,000 “heartfelt” messages from people from all around the world expressing sorrow.

Historic England said Hadrian’s Wall had suffered damage when it was felled in an act of vandalism, and the future of the famed tree has been uncertain until now.

Reports first emerged that the tree had been felled overnight on 27 September, with Northumberland police vowing to bring those responsible to justice.

The National Trust, which manages the land where the tree stood, said it was “shocked and saddened” to learn of the news.

It subsequently closed the site where the tree was located.

The criminal damage caused by felling the famous Sycamore Gap tree has been valued at more than £620,000, according to court charges.

Daniel Graham, 38, of Milbeck Stables, Carlisle, and Adam Carruthers, 31, face Newcastle Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday charged with two counts of criminal damage.

The much-photographed tree, which stood next to Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland for 200 years, was chopped down in September last year, causing a national outrage.

The pair are charged with criminal damage to property of a value over £5,000, namely “without lawful excuse, damaged a sycamore tree to the value of £622,191 belonging to the National Trust”.

The tree, believed to have been one of the most photographed in the country, used to sit in a gap along Hadrian’s Wall - a UNESCO World Heritage Site - in rural Northumberland and was a popular hotspot for tourists, walkers and others.

It is believed to have dated back to medieval times and has been excavated on two occasions - between 1908 and 1911 and again between 1982 and 1987, when Roman remains linked to Hadrian’s Wall were found.

The sycamore perhaps first became known around the globe after featuring in the film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, starring Kevin Costner, Morgan Freeman and Alan Rickman.