Daniel Graham, the second man convicted for his role in the destruction of the historic Sycamore Gap tree, has been released from prison. Graham, 41, from Cumbria, was freed on licence after serving 16 months behind bars, along with time spent on remand following his sentencing.
Graham and his former friend, Adam Carruthers, were sentenced to four years and three months in prison in May 2025 by Newcastle Crown Court. Their convictions followed the illegal felling of the famous sycamore tree beside Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland in September 2023, an act that triggered worldwide outrage.
Details of the Sentence and Early Release
During the sentencing hearing, Mrs Justice Lambert ordered that both men serve 40% of their sentences in custody, with the remaining time served under community supervision on licence. While Carruthers was released earlier after serving approximately 10 months, Graham served several months longer due to differences in time spent on remand prior to trial.
A Ministry of Justice spokesperson addressed the release, stating: “The felling of the Sycamore Gap tree was a disgraceful crime. Offenders released on licence are subject to strict conditions and can be returned to prison immediately if they breach them.”
The Crime and Trial Findings
Newcastle Crown Court previously heard that Graham and Carruthers embarked on what the judge described as a “moronic mission” to destroy the landmark. The pair travelled more than 40 minutes from their homes and carried equipment across pitch-black moorland during a storm in September 2023.
Court proceedings established that Carruthers cut down the more-than-100-year-old tree while Graham drove him to the location and recorded the act on his mobile phone. The felling took less than three minutes and caused substantial damage to the adjacent ancient Hadrian’s Wall when the massive trunk struck the structure.
The vandals also took a wooden wedge from the tree as a trophy, which authorities have never recovered. The defendants subsequently monitored and revelled in the intense national and international media attention sparked by the destruction.
Cultural Significance of Sycamore Gap
The Sycamore Gap tree stood for over a century in a dramatic dip along Hadrian’s Wall and was one of the most photographed landmarks in the United Kingdom. It gained international fame after appearing in the 1991 blockbuster film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, starring Kevin Costner and Morgan Freeman. Its sudden loss devastated local communities, conservationists, and nature lovers around the globe.
