Overview
- The 22-foot spruce that also served as a First World War memorial was cut down on December 10, 2025, hours after about 100 people attended the village lights switch-on.
- Durham Police identified Dylan McNamara from CCTV and found the saw used to fell the tree hidden behind a fridge, evidence that formed the core of the case.
- Magistrates at Newton Aycliffe on June 16, 2026 sentenced McNamara to 10 weeks’ custody suspended for 18 months, 200 hours of unpaid work, and £520 in compensation.
- Durham Police charged a second man, Dominic Radcliffe of Shotton Colliery, with one count of criminal damage; he is due to appear at Peterlee Magistrates’ Court on July 20.
- Locals and the parish council stressed the tree’s decade-long role as a community focal point raised through fundraising, and the prosecutions may prompt steps to restore the memorial and reassure residents.