Sycamore Gap tree convict released from jail after 10 months

One of the individuals involved in cutting down the Sycamore Gap tree has been released from prison earlier than anticipated. Adam Carruthers, aged 33, was sentenced along with Daniel Graham, 39, to four years and three months in custody last July for inflicting criminal damage on the iconic tree located near Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland. The court ruled that they were to serve 40% of their sentence in prison, with the remainder to be spent on licence within the community.

Carruthers, who hails from Wigton in Cumbria, was freed under the Home Detention Curfew Scheme, a decision confirmed by the Ministry of Justice. This early release followed a risk assessment conducted by the governor of the prison where Carruthers was incarcerated. According to an official spokesperson from the Ministry of Justice, individuals released under this scheme must comply with stringent licence conditions, including electronic tagging. Non-compliance with these conditions may result in a return to custody.

The destruction of the Sycamore Gap tree, a beloved natural landmark that had stood for over a century in a distinctive dip along the Northumberland landscape, caused widespread condemnation worldwide. Both Carruthers and Graham were held responsible not only for the destruction of the tree but also for damage to Hadrian’s Wall, caused when the tree was felled in September 2023. During the trial at Newcastle Crown Court, it was revealed that the pair undertook a deliberate and reckless act, traveling over 40 minutes from Cumbria, crossing dark moorland during a storm to carry out the vandalism.

The court heard how the two men embarked on what was described as a “moronic mission,” with Carruthers cutting down the tree while Graham acted as the driver and documented the event on his mobile phone. Afterward, they removed a wedge from the tree as a keepsake, a piece that has yet to be found. The pair appeared to take pleasure in the media attention their actions generated, which sparked both national and international outrage. Mrs Justice Lambert found Carruthers to be the one who physically cut down the tree, emphasizing Graham’s role in facilitating and recording the felling

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