性视界传媒

LONDON (AP) 性视界传媒� It took well over a century for the to spread its limbs into the elegant canopy that made it a beloved site saddled between two hills along the ancient Hadrian性视界传媒檚 Wall in northern England.

It took less than three minutes to cut it down in an 性视界传媒渁ct of deliberate and mindless criminal damage," a prosecutor told jurors Tuesday.

Grainy black and white video of the tree's dramatic felling on Sept. 28, 2023 in Northumberland National Park was shown to jurors in Newcastle Crown Court as the trial of two men charged with cutting it down got underway.

A single person was silhouetted against the unmistakable shape of the tree as a whining chainsaw tore through the rings that marked each year of the tree's life. The shaky recording showed the branches swaying in the wind and then the tree began to teeter, followed by a loud cracking sound as it crashed onto the stone wall.

Until Tuesday, the tree's tumble hadn't been shown publicly, but discovery of the fallen tree reverberated across the U.K and caused a .

Defendants leave trail of evidence

Prosecutor Richard Wright said that the had embarked on a 性视界传媒渕oronic mission性视界传媒� to fell the tree and left a trail of evidence including video and photos connected through metadata to Sycamore Gap and appeared to boast of their feat the following day as news of the tree's demise traveled around the globe.

Daniel Graham, 39, and Adam Carruthers, 32, have pleaded not guilty to two counts each of criminal damage. Prosecutors said that the value of the tree exceeded 620,000 pounds (around $830,000) and damage to the wall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was assessed at 1,100 pounds (nearly $1,500).

The tree was far from Britain性视界传媒檚 biggest or oldest. But its picturesque setting along a stretch of the ancient wall built by Emperor Hadrian in A.D. 122 to protect the northwest frontier of the Roman Empire had attracted generations of followers.

The tree became famous after being featured in Kevin Costner性视界传媒檚 1991 film 性视界传媒淩obin Hood: Prince Of Thieves,性视界传媒� and was a big draw for tourists, landscape photographers and people snapping selfies for social media.

Friendship frayed after charges were brought

Graham and Carruthers were experienced with chainsaws and spent a lot of time together, Wright said. But their once-tight bond hasn't survived their indictment.

Graham has denied being involved, saying his phone and vehicle were used without his knowledge, Wright said. He has implicated Carruthers and another man.

Carruthers denies having anything to do with the crime and said he wasn't there.

性视界传媒淓ach of them now seems to be trying to blame the other," Wright said. 性视界传媒淭hat once close friendship has seemingly completely unraveled, perhaps as the public revulsion at their behavior became clear to them."

Defense lawyers didn't present opening statements, but could do so later in the trial, which is expected to last about two weeks.

Wright said that one of the men had expertly worked the chainsaw to fell the tree while the other used Graham性视界传媒檚 phone to shoot video and photos of the act and the fallen tree.

As they returned to their homes afterward in Graham性视界传媒檚 Range Rover, Carruthers received a video of his young child from his partner and replied, 性视界传媒淚性视界传媒檝e got a better video than that,性视界传媒� Wright said.

性视界传媒淎t the time of that text conversation, the only people in the world who knew the tree had been felled were the men who had had cut it down,性视界传媒� Wright said. 性视界传媒淎nd the only people in the world who had access to the video were the men who had filmed themselves in the act of cutting down the tree: the defendants Graham and Carruthers.性视界传媒�

性视界传媒楾hey are loving it, they're reveling in it'

As news broke about the tree later that day, the two sent texts and exchanged excited voice messages.

性视界传媒淚 think it性视界传媒檚 gonna go wild,性视界传媒� Carruthers told Graham.

性视界传媒淚t性视界传媒檚 gone viral. It is worldwide,性视界传媒� Graham said.

It wasn't just a discussion about the news of the day, Wright said.

性视界传媒淭hey are loving it, they性视界传媒檙e reveling in it," Wright said. "This is the reaction of the people that did it. They still think it性视界传媒檚 funny, or clever, or big.性视界传媒�

Carruthers forwarded a Facebook message by a man who had criticized the tree vandals as 性视界传媒渨eak people.性视界传媒�

Graham ridiculed the man's comment, asking if he realized how heavy stuff is, though he used an expletive in place of 性视界传媒渟tuff.性视界传媒�

Carruthers replied that he'd like to see the man "launch an operation like we did last night. 性视界传媒� I don性视界传媒檛 think he性视界传媒檚 got the minerals.性视界传媒�

Missing pieces of investigation include 性视界传媒榯rophy性视界传媒� from tree

Wright said that a combination of cellphone data, surveillance cameras and license plate readers indicated Graham性视界传媒檚 phone and car headed toward Sycamore Gap.

A wedge of wood that was cut from the tree to drop it in the proper direction 性视界传媒� as a professional lumberjack would do 性视界传媒� was taken from the scene as a 性视界传媒渢rophy" and never recovered, Wright said.

Photos and video on Graham性视界传媒檚 phone showed a wedge of wood in the back of his vehicle. A forensic botanist said there was a 性视界传媒渧ery strong evidence性视界传媒� the wood in the photo was a chunk of the Sycamore Gap tree.

While police found chainsaws where both men live, they haven't found the one used to cut down the sycamore. Nor can they definitively say who operated the saw and filmed the act.

性视界传媒淲e do not need to do so,性视界传媒� Wright said. 性视界传媒淎ny person who intentionally assisted, encouraged or caused the damage to happen is as guilty as the person who actually used the chainsaw. These men were in it together from first to last.性视界传媒�