Am I alone in thinking that the incessant media coverage and ultimately the sentencing of Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers — each to four years and three months in prison for felling the #Sycamore Gap tree — was blown out of proportion?

The sycamore tree is non-native to the UK, and only 150 - 160 years old (probably halfway to two thirds through its lifespan), and not really something I class as particularly historic.

I'm certainly not defending their idiotic action, but I wonder whether they might have received a more appropriate, non-custodial sentence if the tree wasn't (anachronistically) featured in that Robin Hood film. Do they really deserve to have the rest of their lives negatively affected because of a felled tree?

#sycamoregap #sycamoregaptree #sycamoregapatrial