Man who felled Sycamore Gap tree released from prison early
Adam Carruthers, 33, along with Daniel Graham, 39, were sentenced to four years and three months in July last year after felling the iconic tree
One of two men responsible for felling the iconic Sycamore Gap tree has been released from prison early
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Adam Carruthers, 33, along with Daniel Graham, 39, were sentenced to four years and three months in July last year for criminal damage after the famous tree besides Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland was felled in the dead of night.
At the time of sentencing, Justice Lambert told the pair they would serve 40% of the sentence behind bars, with the remainder being served on licence in the community.
Under the rules, Carruthers, from Wigton in Cumbria, has now been released, with the former prisoner now back in the community under the Home Detention Curfew Scheme, the Ministry of Justice confirmed.
The decision was reportedly taken by the governor of the jail where he was serving his sentence, with his release confirmed following a risk assessment.
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In a statement, a Ministry of Justice spokesman said people released under the home curfew scheme "faces strict licence conditions and must be tagged".
"Those who break the rules can be returned to prison," it added.
It comes months after a sapling grown from the illegally felled Sycamore Gap tree has been planted at another site along Hadrian’s Wall.
The young tree was planted on Friday at Segedunum Roman Fort at Wallsend, North Tyneside, a location at the eastern end of the 73-mile wall that spans the north of England from Cumbria to near Newcastle.
The sycamore that stood for more than a century in a dip along the landmark wall built by the Romans from 122 AD was deliberately cut down overnight in September 2023, prompting a national outcry and a police investigation.
The tree planted at Segedunum is not one of the official 49 "trees of hope" given by the National Trust to individuals, community groups, and organisations across the UK.