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Original poster

The Sycamore Gap Tree

183 replies

PassingStranger · 30/04/2025 18:19

2 men on trial for felling the tree.
Aren't they embarrassed, what on earth possessed them?
They weren't exactly young either.

Grown men
Bet their parents are proud not?
Grow up.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
5
ginasevern · 30/04/2025 18:25

Yes OP, I've been absolutely puzzled by this. I assumed it would be a couple of teenagers but these are middle aged men and I believe business men in the community. Just why? Was it a moment of drunken madness, was there some money making agenda behind it (hard to imagine what). It doesn't make sense.

Original poster
PassingStranger · 30/04/2025 18:27

Wonder what the sentence will be.

OP posts:
GourmetLettuceMix · 30/04/2025 18:28

It is a bit pathetic, but also....it's just a tree. They shouldn't have done it, but there are more important things to be outraged about.

Theoldwrinkley · 30/04/2025 18:29

I'm feeling so sad about this. We are currently having our roof replaced and the scaffold people have taken a huge branch off our lovely birch. We have no trees left around here (thank you, HS2) and the report on the news about the sycamore just made me weep today. I suppose I've been 'triggered' but trees are (literally) essential to life.

TheFormidableMrsC · 30/04/2025 18:30

GourmetLettuceMix · 30/04/2025 18:28

It is a bit pathetic, but also....it's just a tree. They shouldn't have done it, but there are more important things to be outraged about.

It wasn’t “just a tree” was it. What a weird comment.

SirChenjins · 30/04/2025 18:30

I’ve been following this too - it really upset me, it was a beautiful tree. I thought it would turn out to be the result of a dispute between the NT and a landowner, but the fact that it’s turned out to be nothing more than mindless vandalism that appears to have been planned by two men who have revelled in the shock felt by many worldwide just makes it all the more hideous.

Anyone know what the likely outcome will be if they’re found guilty? I really hope it’s a custodial sentence and not a fine and some community service.

UpJacksArseAndRoundTheCorner · 30/04/2025 18:30

ginasevern · 30/04/2025 18:25

Yes OP, I've been absolutely puzzled by this. I assumed it would be a couple of teenagers but these are middle aged men and I believe business men in the community. Just why? Was it a moment of drunken madness, was there some money making agenda behind it (hard to imagine what). It doesn't make sense.

Was it a moment of drunken madness

Doubt it.

Surely it must've been premeditated.

TheFormidableMrsC · 30/04/2025 18:31

PassingStranger · 30/04/2025 18:19

2 men on trial for felling the tree.
Aren't they embarrassed, what on earth possessed them?
They weren't exactly young either.

Grown men
Bet their parents are proud not?
Grow up.

I was thinking the same earlier. Whatever possessed them? What pleasure could they have got out of such mindless destruction? Absolutely bloody grim.

neverknowinglyunreasonable · 30/04/2025 18:34

GourmetLettuceMix · 30/04/2025 18:28

It is a bit pathetic, but also....it's just a tree. They shouldn't have done it, but there are more important things to be outraged about.

I don't think it is "just a tree". It's the mindset of someone who plans, goes out of their way to carry it out, films and gloats about destroying something which so many people found joy in. I think it reflects on problems in wider society. Maybe I'm being a bit dramatic but that's how it feels.

I should probably use the word 'allegedly' somewhere in this post.

EveryKneeShallBow · 30/04/2025 18:36

It’s like a toddler acting out in a supermarket. It’s all eyes on them for their five minutes of fame and everyone talking about them. The only time in their pathetic lives they get to be the centre of attention. And no, I bet they don’t get a custodial sentence. I’d like them to have the pick up dog mess with their teeth, but it’ll just be a fine I expect.

PotteringAlonggotkickedoutandhadtoreregister · 30/04/2025 18:37

And they filmed themselves doing it! Why?!

SwedishEdith · 30/04/2025 18:39

It feels like one of the most black and white cases where there is no defence at all for them. Imagine committing such an act where absolutely no-one would be able to see your pov or have any sympathy or support for you at all.

Original poster
PassingStranger · 30/04/2025 18:40

GourmetLettuceMix · 30/04/2025 18:28

It is a bit pathetic, but also....it's just a tree. They shouldn't have done it, but there are more important things to be outraged about.

It was a 100 year old tree.
They had no business touching it.

You need to send out a strong message and deterrent to stop others doing it
Also if they hadn't been caught what would they do next.

OP posts:
ThroughThickAndThin01 · 30/04/2025 18:42

It’s weird, I feel upset about it, well relatively, as do so many people, and I am puzzled why, can’t really rationalise it with so much going on in the world. Very odd. Hope they get a severe punishment!

Mickeychampionwhatgoodami · 30/04/2025 18:42

TheFormidableMrsC · 30/04/2025 18:30

It wasn’t “just a tree” was it. What a weird comment.

Show quote history

That's a bit like saying for example if you vandalised York Minster..it's just a church.

CaramelGhost · 30/04/2025 18:43

GourmetLettuceMix · 30/04/2025 18:28

It is a bit pathetic, but also....it's just a tree. They shouldn't have done it, but there are more important things to be outraged about.

Why? There a few true pleasures in life and this is something that brought enjoyment to many.
In a society where we all work so much and live for the weekend, live for our free time, and so many choose to spend their free time enjoying nature and history....of course it matters. I feel sad for you

YesThatsATurdOnTheRug · 30/04/2025 18:46

I read a comment on FB yesterday that suggested it had been done to reduce the numbers of tourists on the land. No idea at all if there's any truth to it but it's the only idea for a motive I've heard since it was shown not to be the landowner dispute.

jewelcase · 30/04/2025 18:49

SirChenjins · 30/04/2025 18:30

I’ve been following this too - it really upset me, it was a beautiful tree. I thought it would turn out to be the result of a dispute between the NT and a landowner, but the fact that it’s turned out to be nothing more than mindless vandalism that appears to have been planned by two men who have revelled in the shock felt by many worldwide just makes it all the more hideous.

Anyone know what the likely outcome will be if they’re found guilty? I really hope it’s a custodial sentence and not a fine and some community service.

Edited

It’s difficult to predict a sentence because the guidelines for criminal damage are based on the financial value of the damage caused. Obviously here the damage can’t easily be quantified in that way. The damage to the wall has been quantified at £1,400, but if the argument is that the entire damage caused is less than £5,000 then the maximum sentence is three months.

But if they decide that it’s of a higher value than that, then the maximum sentence is ten years. If I was guessing I’d put it at that higher value, and place it as both higher culpability and higher harm, which would give a range starting at 6 months and topping out at 4 years. So I’d guess that’s what they’ll get if found guilty. Maybe 2 years?

OtherS · 30/04/2025 18:53

Very much hope they get serious prison sentences. I find it genuinely distressing, it was such an utterly meaningless thing to do. If it was some sort of protest, it would still be awful but at least there would be a purpose - this seems to have just been done to upset complete strangers, for 'a laugh'. Just can't comprehend the sort of people who would do something like this.

I imagine the financial value of the damage may well be extremely high if it includes loss of tourism, so hopefully that will translate into a very long imprisonment.

Hopealong · 30/04/2025 18:55

I don't understand them pleading not guilty when there seems to be such over whelming evidence to the contrary. If found guilty they will end up with a harsher sentence. But we haven't heard the defence yet......

Neemie · 30/04/2025 18:55

For an act of mindless vandalism, it was very high effort.

GCAcademic · 30/04/2025 18:55

YesThatsATurdOnTheRug · 30/04/2025 18:46

I read a comment on FB yesterday that suggested it had been done to reduce the numbers of tourists on the land. No idea at all if there's any truth to it but it's the only idea for a motive I've heard since it was shown not to be the landowner dispute.

But the men were from nowhere near the area?

GeorgianaM · 30/04/2025 18:57

YesThatsATurdOnTheRug · 30/04/2025 18:46

I read a comment on FB yesterday that suggested it had been done to reduce the numbers of tourists on the land. No idea at all if there's any truth to it but it's the only idea for a motive I've heard since it was shown not to be the landowner dispute.

Neither have admitted to doing it and they are not from the area so that is nonsense.

squashyhat · 30/04/2025 18:58

Sycamore is usually regarded as an unwanted invasive species. Which goes to show that with trees, as with houses, it's all about location.

DrummingMousWife · 30/04/2025 18:58

If stupidity was a crime they would go away for life. Morons .