They're denying it, so unless they change their plea we will never know.
The point I was (badly perhaps) trying to make is that we gleefully rip up acres of countryside with little comment on the destruction but one solitary tree has gathered a lot of news coverage.
Not necessarily. They're pleading not guilty, but they may claim that yes they did indeed cut it down but they did so in self defence, because it went for them. You know what trees can be like.
They're denying it, so unless they change their plea we will never know.
And even if they don't mount a successful (or indeed any) defence in court, their briefs can plead mitigating circumstances (however unlikely they might be) on their behalf when it comes to sentencing.....aren't we therefore likely to find out more, if they plead guilty they go straight to sentencing with no court room discussion.
The prosecution will surely put forward some sort of argument on motive and then see how the cross examination progresses.
I've read that there was a Planning refusal somewhere in the mix.
....aren't we therefore likely to find out more, if they plead guilty they go straight to sentencing with no court room discussion.
The prosecution will surely put forward some sort of argument on motive and then see how the cross examination progresses.
Not necessarily. They're pleading not guilty, but they may claim that yes they did indeed cut it down but they did so in self defence, because it went for them. You know what trees can be like.
I was more concerned about the harm caused to Hadrian's Wall. We can't grow another one of those.I'm not particularly fussed about this incident. Some people cut down a tree illegally. It does seem to have struck a nerve with the rest of the country, but I'm obviously a callous tree-hating bastard because it seems relatively trivial to me. I agree that there are more important (and entirely legal) matters that should, but don't, cause national concern.
I was more concerned about the harm caused to Hadrian's Wall. We can't grow another one of those.
I don't think it was much in reality but the tree was felled onto the wall.