The tree at Sycamore Gap, which took more than a century to mature, was cut down in just a few minutes.
Situated at the boundary of the Roman frontier in northern England, this tree held global significance and was the focus of many and varied, visually appealing photographs, paintings, and even films.
During the dark early hours of 27 September 2023, someone or perhaps more than one person, committed a reprehensible act. They felled the tree, thereby causing a huge and justified uproar that spread across the world. The public was shocked and appalled that anyone would do something so terrible.
The trial of two defendants who absolutely deny the charge of illegally chopping down the tree has been taking place this past week at the Newcastle Crown Court.
Prosecutors allege39-year-old Daniel Graham and 32-year-old Adam Carruthers for having undertaken a "foolhardy endeavor."
As with most modern trials forensic evidence is a key factor. It is argued that while one person used a chainsaw to bring down the tree, the other recorded the event on Mr. Graham's mobile phone—an accusation that both parties deny with great fervor. A video lasting two minutes and forty-one seconds was uncovered by law enforcement authorities roughly one month later during the apprehension of Mr. Graham, at which time his mobile phone was seized.
The original video is defined by its obscurity. It contains nothing but the noise of a chainsaw, succeeded by the crash of the tree as it falls, and an uncanny silence that follows except for the sounds of wind in the desolate space.
A better version of the recording was shown to the jury, complete with the metadata stating that it was recorded at roughly 00:30 BST, at the exact geographical coordinates of the beloved tree.
Upon police questioning about where the video on his device came from, Mr. Graham unfailingly replied with the words "no comment."
It was "unequivocally apparent" to a forestry expert that the tree would come down with its trunk severed in a northerly direction. The expert said that forces at work in the tree would direct its 200 or so felled tons toward lots that had been partitioned by a Roman wall and that a lump or two of wood could do some serious damage to the wall. The tree required a substantial wedge to be excised from the trunk to facilitate its descent, and the prosecution alleges that the defendants removed it as a "trophy".
A few hours later, a picture was taken on Mr. Graham's mobile device, showing a large bit of wood, a chainsaw, and also, in the back compartment of the Range Rover, a substantial part of the Range Rover.
Testimony from a forensic botanist indicated "very strong evidence" that the wedge originated from the tree at Sycamore Gap.
Law enforcement has not recovered either the wedge or the chainsaw.
Cell site analysis, which watches over a mobile telephone's movements, along with automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras, which track the path of a vehicle, have been frequently mentioned in this context.
To sum up, the proof shown to the court pointed out that Mr. Graham's mobile apparatus and auto were seen moving from his home in Carlisle toward Sycamore Gap before the falling incident, and then they were spotted returning in a flow with a westerly vector.
Moreover, a duo of headlights was captured on CCTV from the adjacent Twice Brewed Inn, heading towards Steel Rigg, the nearest public car park to the tree, just before the witching hour, and coming back roughly an hour later.
The argument of the prosecutors was that regular and consistent telephone communication was being maintained by Mr. Graham and his associate Mr. Carruthers, a Cumbria resident in the town of Wigton. However, these communications stopped at 22:23. Not surprisingly, this has led to some strong inferences being drawn as to these two men being in each other's company from that point onward.
Moreover, messages sent between Mr. Carruthers and his partner on the night in question confirm, and even reinforce, the idea that he was not at home that evening, as he would later present to the court.
Prominent British forensic scientist Dr. Angela Gallop discussed the case at hand. She explained the prospects of examining chainsaw oil residues on the tree stump, which might yield a distinctive chemical "fingerprint." This could associate the chainsaw used with a particular person.
Forensic evidence being presented in the ongoing trial is an array of signs and signals from various scientific disciplines pointing toward the defendant's guilt and away from any other plausible suspects. This evidence includes, but is in no way limited to, forensic botany and forensic data analysis (more commonly known as the burgeoning field of "digital forensics").
https://www.kew.org/read-and-watch/how-forensic-botany-plant-science-solve-crimes
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