Old Sod's Army- Words fail me.

[Eton White]

Wonder what the charges will be, I expect they will throw the book at them, with all the outcry, but depends on what they can charge them with - their names will be mud, anyway.

They can probably only charge them with criminal damage, or possibly anti social behaviour.

If the tree had some sort of preservation order on it (I presume it would have done), I guess there might be some environmental element to it which might give them additional powers, but who knows?

Whatever they charge them with though, it can't reverse what they've done. It's very sad.

[RaySmith]

Wonder what the charges will be, I expect they will throw the book at them, with all the outcry, but depends on what they can charge them with - their names will be mud, anyway.

They can probably only charge them with criminal damage, or possibly anti social behaviour.

If the tree had some sort of preservation order on it (I presume it would have done), I guess there might be some environmental element to it which might give them additional powers, but who knows?

Whatever they charge them with though, it can't reverse what they've done. It's very sad.

Two environmental protestors got 3 years each recently, under the new protest laws.

I think the charges will be pretty serious anyway - criminal damage to a public monument, protected, monument.
David Gilmour of Pink Floyd's son, was sent down for pouring paint on Winston Churchill's statue - I think it was him, famous statue anyway.

These were regraded  by many as draconian sentences, but I think the authorities- the PM has  already commented, will be keen to show  how tough they are on this.

But, as said, won't bring back the tree - very sad, leaves a very bad taste in the mouth, that this was done wilfully.

[RaySmith]

Wonder what the charges will be, I expect they will throw the book at them, with all the outcry, but depends on what they can charge them with - their names will be mud, anyway.

They can probably only charge them with criminal damage, or possibly anti social behaviour.

If the tree had some sort of preservation order on it (I presume it would have done), I guess there might be some environmental element to it which might give them additional powers, but who knows?

Whatever they charge them with though, it can't reverse what they've done. It's very sad.

Two environmental protestors got 3 years each recently, under the new protest laws.

I think the charges will be pretty serious anyway - criminal damage to a public, protected, monument.
David Gilmour of Pink Floyd's son, was sent down for pouring paint, or  photographed posing, on Winston Churchill's statue in a demo, against student loan fees?- I think it was Churchill, famous statue anyway.

These were regraded  by many as draconian sentences, but I think the authorities- the PM has  already commented, will be keen to show  how tough they are on this.

But, as said, won't bring back the tree - very sad, leaves a very bad taste in the mouth, that this was done wilfully, but others have commented that they won't get any serious penalty, prompted me to comment.

Have to wait and see, and what the accused say about why they did it -can't be any acceptable reason!

[Holders]

This was not just the deliberate destruction of an iconic tree, the loss of which is mourned by millions, whether they were previously aware of it or not. It is actually indicative of a mindset that seems to have sought to demonstrate in such a stark way its contempt for the natural world as a whole. This at a time when the environment is in its greatest peril since the advent of Man as a species.

The mindset of the sort of person who did this is that of those who deny catastrophic climate change. That's the bigger issue as it's so widespread.

What a wretched species we are.

As to what happens to the responsible party(ies) I doubt if the law has much force. Besides, their defence could well be that no-one in their right mind would do this.

[filham]

Yes a 60 year old 'man' has been arrested. Seems that the 16 year old assisted this rather deranged old er em, I am lost for words once again. I wonder what on earth his motives were?     

Yes I too would like to know what the motivation was but also am trying to think how the task was achieved by less than the numbers of trained men used by our local authority in similar tasks over a day.

[HV71]

The punishment needs to reflect the crime - this was a serious fel - ony ( I'll get my coat )

[bog]

I have read that this pensioner/delinquent may have held a grudge against The National Trust. Emm. 

[Somerset Fulham]

Of course he did, and we all know what that was driven by.

[Holders]

Of course he did, and we all know what that was driven by.

You say "we all know". I can only assume you mean the ban on hunting on NT land. If this is the reason and it comes out it'll be very bad publicity for that fraternity.

[Nero]

probably be a road built through it next month

[Oakeshott]

"The mindset of the sort of person who did this is that of those who deny catastrophic climate change. That's the bigger issue as it's so widespread"

With respect, that is rubbish.

The climate has always changed and no doubt it is now. Whether it is "catastrophic" is entirely another matter. There are benefits as well as disadvantages to global warming, provided it doesn't go too far, and steps being widely taken in the world should prevent that. We need to be thoughtful and prudent, not alarmist.

The felling was, in the great scheme of things, trivial but an act of total selfishness that disregards the pleasure the tree gave to many thousands. Clearly an exemplary punishment is needed to discourage any similar actions. Hopefully, the judiciary will rise to the occasion and give the maximum possible within the sentencing guidelines.

[filham]

No,No lets be clear those trying to avoid globle warming and hunting are most likely to be in strong support  of tree preservation. I am strongly in favour of all three.

[Holders]

"Benefits to global warming"!

Staying polite, within the teams of this forum, I've heard it all now. Already we've seen events like droughts, wild fires, excessive storms, melting glaciers and ice caps, rising sea levels, disruption to agriculture, famine, migration of people fleeing...

And it hadn't finished yet as there's a long way to go before emissions are even stabilised. 

[Somerset Fulham]

Of course he did, and we all know what that was driven by.

You say "we all know". I can only assume you mean the ban on hunting on NT land. If this is the reason and it comes out it'll be very bad publicity for that fraternity.

I would imagine it is more to do with the government/Daily Mail's constant attacks on the NT getting into the head of a not very bright old man, but I must admit that I hadn't thought of the hunting ban.

[filham]

The suggestion that anti hunters were responsible for the tree damage is not valid but possible that such a thought is spread by hunters.

[Holders]

The suggestion that anti hunters were responsible for the tree damage is not valid but possible that such a thought is spread by hunters.

Anti-hunters would have no reason to have a grudge against the NT for banning hunting on their land, whereas hunters almost certainly have.

[Holders]

Of course he did, and we all know what that was driven by.

You say "we all know". I can only assume you mean the ban on hunting on NT land. If this is the reason and it comes out it'll be very bad publicity for that fraternity.

I would imagine it is more to do with the government/Daily Mail's constant attacks on the NT getting into the head of a not very bright old man, but I must admit that I hadn't thought of the hunting ban.

The Daily Mail gets into the heads of millions of not very bright people!

The NT has certainly changed its image in recent years from very staid to quite progressive.

[Somerset Fulham]

Apparently some young lad has planted and put protective wiring around a sapling on the site of the old tree.

Please try to remember people that it is the minority of youngsters that cause the trouble, not the majority, and it has always been this way.

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[hovewhite]

Yes a 60 year old 'man' has been arrested. Seems that the 16 year old assisted this rather deranged old er em, I am lost for words once again. I wonder what on earth his motives were?     

well words fail me,a 60 y.o he has to be a big idiot and if taken a 16 y.o with him then it's how not to be a rational human being.

[Dodgin]

To add to the mindless moronic nature. The two idiots at the Sheffield Wednesday/Sunderland game was appalling. I see the backlash won't do them any good at all. Sheffield fans have donated quite a large sum in response. Can't bring myself to mention their behaviour.