Daniel Graham, the second man jailed for felling the Sycamore Gap tree, has been freed from prison after serving less than half his sentence. Graham, 41, filmed his accomplice Adam Carruthers, 34, as he took a chainsaw to the iconic tree in Northumberland in September 2023, sparking worldwide outrage.
Sentences and Release
The former friends were both jailed for four years and three months in May 2025. Carruthers was released in May while wearing a tag after serving 10 months of his sentence. Graham has now been freed after serving four months longer than Carruthers, and his early release will be monitored by the probation service.
Before Graham was locked up, he lived in Grinsdale Bridge, near Carlisle, Cumbria. However, he was served an eviction order there two years ago after being refused retrospective planning permission.
Background and Concerns
“He is estranged from his family and does not have a close friend in the world,” said a source close to the case. “There were concerns for his well-being. They led to him being kept inside for longer than Carruthers.”
Carruthers was released under the government’s Home Detention Curfew Scheme, which allows prisoners to serve part of their sentence at home. The judge, Mrs Justice Lambert, told them they would serve a maximum of 40 percent of the sentence when they were sentenced last year. Carruthers was due to be released in January 2027. Graham spent more time on remand prior to the trial.
Crime and Conviction
The former friends both denied criminal damage to the world famous tree, valued at £622,191 and belonging to the National Trust. They also denied a second charge of criminal damage to Hadrian's Wall valued at £1,144. But they were found guilty after the trial heard of the overwhelming evidence against them, including footage of the tree being felled found on Graham's phone.
One of the most photographed trees on the planet, the loss of Sycamore Gap sparked worldwide outrage. Carruthers cut down a tree to mark the birth of his firstborn daughter, Charlie, on Sept. 5, 2018. He wanted to go 'one better' for his second child, Olivia, and take a piece of the iconic sycamore which had been growing by Hadrian's Wall for 150 years, not realising the worldwide revulsion it would cause.
Like co-accused Graham, he offered a series of lies to cover up his crime, telling jurors that it was 'just a tree' and he “did not understand” all the headlines. Neighbours in Wigton, Cumbria where he grew up described him as a 'bit of an idiot' who enjoyed riding a mobility scooter as a child. Locals said the plot featured the “man with no friends,” Graham, teaming up with the “man with no brains,” Carruthers.
Experts believe the tree has stood next to the Roman wall since the late 1800s. Millions loved the tree, and many traveled from abroad to see it and take photographs next to it. Its many fans included Kevin Reynolds, the Hollywood director of 'Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves', and it featured in the 1991 film starring Kevin Costner.
