The sycamore chopped down at Hadrian's wall

[Hungrycaterpillarsmummy]

What a fucking horrible thing to do.
It must've taken a lot of effort to cut that tree down, and for what? To do something horrible for the sake of doing something horrible?

Why why why cut down a 200yr old tree? :(

I wonder what the actual crime here is. or crimes.

Presumably criminal damage?
It’s an offence to fell a tree without a license.
And presumably there was some kind of tree preservation order (and/or other protections) which might make a difference.

I suspect the sentencing guidelines for these crimes may disappoint those who seem to think life in prison is the required retribution.

I think if/when therea guilty conviction, the penalty will actually seem disproportionate when compared to, say, those for sexual assault and drug dealing.

@BCCoach
I think you misunderstood my post. Like you, I often read the news and think the punishment for a crime is too soft. However, I don’t understand it when people say we are too soft in crime in this country There is no evidence that the U.K. is softer than other countries in Europe. If anything, we are harder.

@Frodofeeling that’s a bit of a leap. I mean, yeah they were introduced by the Romans so technically non-native. But it’s not like someone nearby is getting tired of digging up sycamore seedlings on their lawn is it?

it’s an iconic, 300 year old tree, not some straggly sapling at the bottom of a suburban garden.

In fact, he appears to have set it up so the tree landed right on Hadrians Wall, which is a protected ancient site. A skilled tree surgeon would have managed to avoid doing that (unless the intention was to also damage the wall?)

I’m betting this was a grudge or some sort of pay back.

A 16 year old could easily have got to the site on a quad with equipment, zipped through that tree and been away in no time. Quad lights would provide light to work too.

I bet local farmers know exactly what the back story is this!

If it’s criminal damage, the sentencing rules seem to be driven by the value of the property destroyed. If it’s judged that the tree was worth less than a certain amount, the maximum sentence is a few months in prison.

I suspect anyone hoping for a lifetime in prison is going to be very disappointed in whatever outcome the criminal justice system delivers.

What's this chainsaw licence that you need, and it's licence not license

@TarantinoIsAMisogynist im guessing he was sensible enough to set up the cut to fell it into the wind. It was during a storm. I suspect damage to the wall was not exactly a concern.

I don't know, they must be doing something to control the seedlings though. They really were a nuisance in our gardens. But no probably not, I just can't see a motive.

Yes! The number of people who rarely stray outside a city is obvious on this thread!

It shouldnt be that hard to realise that a teenager living in rural Northumberland is going to live a different life, and be exposed to different things, to a teenager in London or a Home Counties town.

No I just thought it would be funny to contribute something to the thread?

yes really. It’s a tree. There are far more serious things going on in the world and people are losing their minds about a tree? Seriously I can’t even comprehend how people can let this ruin their day

Oh yes. There’s the scheduled ancient monument angle for charges.

Still probably won’t add up to sending him
to the worst kind of soviet gulag for life that some people seem to think is the required punishment.

It’s a local kid. Who has pissed off a significant portion of his local community (and the wider world). There will be consequences to that.

Whoever he was, it obviously didn't take long for the police to get him - my money's on a grudge or social media opp.

Either way, it's awful. Just so sad.

@Frodofeeling there’s no seedlings round it because sheep exist. Or did you think someone went up there with a flymo to keep the grass nice and short?

Sorry, I wasn't actually blaming just stop oil, I just meant some similar kind of activism. I know this isn't their M.O. I was wondering if it it was along the lines of why get upset about one tree when every single tree is going to burn/ millions of trees in the amazon are being cut down. I don't know, it just doesn't seem like your typical teenage vandalism either, and anyone with these skills is going to have some level of understanding of the importance of trees...??

A kid not far away lobbed a cat into a quarry on social media and the police have confirmed yesterday NFA. Same will happen here

It’s a local kid. Who has pissed off a significant portion of his local community (and the wider world). There will be consequences to that

This.

And those consequences will linger for a very long time.

And yes, this thread does show that some people don't understand rural life. Anyone whose walked in the country will appreciate the lives and experiences of children out there. Or if they listen to The Archers!

A chainsaw or even a shotgun sound in the country is not unusual.

Well, it's sat there quietly growing for centuries and has managed to not invade the anything. You can even says it's successfully integrated in the local fabric of life.

What is invasive is people who go round chopping trees down, present company included.

spelling? Seriously? Well you’ve got the high ground with that one!

There is some sort of forestry commission licensing for cutting down most trees: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/tree-felling-overview#:~:text=It's%20an%20offence%20to%20fell,one%20of%20the%20exemptions%20apply.

Because most people have more than two brain cells and are not afraid to use them at the same time?

Have you ever heard of symbolism?

In a world that is rapidly heating up, with ever worse climate disasters coming round the corner, the felling of a single historic tree for no reason other than that someone felt like it holds a great deal of symbolism.

It's deeply depressing to know that other humans will destroy natural beauty and kill a living thing simply for shits and giggles.

Yes, I wouldn't bat an eyelid if I heard a shotgun sound while out running. It's not unusual here. Same for chainsaws.

I apologise for my spelling. A chainsaw licence (also called a certificate or ticket) is proof that you can operate a chainsaw safely. Its not required by law of course, but is required by all
reputable employers and for you to have insurance. https://tkftraining.co.uk/guide-getting-chainsaw-certificate/

So a 16 year old can get a licence to fell trees.