Daniel Graham, 39, and Adam Carruthers, 32, both deny criminal damage to the world famous tree as the court heard voicemail recordings and voice notes exchanged between the pair
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Audio allegedly from suspects in the Sycamore Gap felling case
The jury in the Sycamore Gap trial have heard voicemail notes the accused allegedly exchanged, boasting that their crime had “gone viral”.
Daniel Graham, 39, and Adam Carruthers, 32, both deny criminal damage to the world famous tree to the value of £622,191 and criminal damage to Hadrian’s Wall. The voicemail exchanges between the pair were found on the phone of Graham following his arrest. They were recorded in the immediate aftermath of the felling of the Sycamore Gap tree, Newcastle crown court heard. In one, Graham says to Carruthers ‘not a bad angle on that stump’ in reference to an image of the tree, adding: “That’s clearly a professional.”
In another, Carruthers says to him: “Someone there has tagged like ITV News, BBC News, Sky News, like News News News.” in a WhatsApp voice note. “I think it’s gonna go wild.” In another voice note from Graham to Carruthers which begins with ‘Jeffrey’, a name that Carruthers uses, he adds: “It’s gone viral. It is worldwide. It will be on ITV news tonight.” Graham sends another voice note to Carruthers saying: “Jeffrey it’s on f***ing Sky News as we speak.”
A member of the public, Kevin Hartness, posted a Facebook message: “Some weak people that walk this earth, disgusting behaviour.” The court heard that Carruthers sent the post to Graham, and he replied with a voice note “That Kevin Hartness comment. Weak… f***ing weak? Does he realise how heavy s*** is?”
Carruthers replied with the voice note: “I’d like to see him launch an operation like we did last night’. I don’t think he’s got the minerals.”
On the day after the tree was discovered, Graham messaged Carruthers: “Here we go.”
The jury heard that Graham and Carruthers shared messages and stories from the media “back and forth” between themselves.
They sometimes commented in a way that “clearly showed they were responsible, and that there was not an ounce of remorse,” Newcastle crown court heard.
Intelligence analyst Amy Sutherland, on civilian staff with Northumbria Police, told the jury that video and audio footage had been analysed.
It had been taken from Graham’s mobile phone. after his arrest on October 31, 2023. He had given the pass code for the. phone, the court. heard.
The two accused were said to have shared news reports on the police probe into the tree felling and the early arrests of suspects.
But their interest and messages also showed that they were the men who had carried out the crime, according to Richard Wright KC, prosecuting.
The voice mail messages were outlined in court today along with the detailed forensic evidence extracted from Graham’s mobile phone and devices belonging to co-accused Carruthers.
The Sycamore Gap tree was also known as the ‘Robin Hood tree’ after it appeared in a famous scene from the 1991 movie blockbuster Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, starring Kevin Costner.
The trial, expected to last 10 days, continues.