Two men accused of felling one of the UK’s most famous trees are to appear before a crown court judge later.
Daniel Graham, 38, and Adam Carruthers, 31, are accused of causing £622,191 worth of damage to Sycamore Gap, which was cut down in September.
The pair are also accused of causing £1,144 worth of damage to Hadrian’s Wall, a Unesco World Heritage Site, which was hit by the falling tree.
Mr Graham, of Carlisle, entered pleas of not guilty to both charges before Newcastle magistrates last month. Mr Carruthers, of Wigton, Cumbria, entered no plea.
In May, District Judge Zoe Passfield declined jurisdiction and sent the case to Newcastle Crown Court, describing the case as “too serious to be heard in the magistrates’ court”.
Both offences were alleged to have been committed on 28 September last year.
District Judge Zoe Passfield previously said she understood that “feelings are running high in respect of the case”.
The felling of the much-photographed tree, which has stood next to the Roman wall since the late 1800s, caused an international outpouring of shock, dismay and anger.
Northumberland National Park Authority officials said the tree was “part of England’s identity”, and had attracted millions of people to the site.
