this post was submitted on 15 Jul 2025
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[–] ThePyroPython@lemmy.world 80 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Cool, now do the same for Water Company executives that shit all over our nature as well.

[–] TropicalDingdong@lemmy.world 13 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

nope. only for charismatic megaflora/fauna

[–] StupidBrotherInLaw@lemmy.world 32 points 3 weeks ago

nope. only for ~~charismatic megaflora/fauna~~ the poors.

FTFY

[–] rayquetzalcoatl@lemmy.world 21 points 3 weeks ago (4 children)

Very, very, very harsh. Too harsh.

Would love to see just a single one of the besuited cunts who are polluting our rivers and air get this kind of treatment by their mates in the courts. Never gonna happen tho - this has been a rich man's world for centuries.

[–] TheKingBee@lemmy.world 21 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

i disagree with this being too harsh, but do agree with the second point about wishing to see this type of punishment extended to the industrial villains, who will never see it, deserving this type of punishment.

[–] rayquetzalcoatl@lemmy.world 1 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

That's fair. I understand the frustration and anger at these two and what they did - it was senseless and I was definitely a bit heartbroken to read about the felling at first - but four years is so long and they're going to come out worse for it, in my opinion.

[–] echodot@feddit.uk 2 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Not that they had much going for them to begin with. Maybe when they get out they'll use their brains to do something constructive

[–] Ilovethebomb@sh.itjust.works 1 points 3 weeks ago

I don't think that's possible, even most criminals would look down on these two.

[–] wewbull@feddit.uk -1 points 3 weeks ago

We're in the middle of a prison crisis. We don't have room for people who chopped down a tree, even if it was a really pretty one.

[–] Babalugats@feddit.uk 10 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)
[–] rayquetzalcoatl@lemmy.world 3 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

"this kind of treatment" meaning harsh sentences. Fining a company means very little 🤷‍♂️

[–] Babalugats@feddit.uk 4 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

My point was that individuals have been responsible for a lot worse, but never held accountable. It didn't have to be rivers and fish. I could have linked to the endless other articles referring to the destruction of something. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cmjj5gl6m0po

[–] rayquetzalcoatl@lemmy.world 1 points 3 weeks ago

Oh right, I read your comment as sarcastic but it seems like we're saying the exact same thing.

[–] G4Z@feddit.uk 8 points 3 weeks ago

From what I understand, they really fucked around the court and lied about it which is why the sentence is harsh. If they had just admitted it, they probably would have got a suspended sentence.

[–] Tangentism@lemmy.ml 7 points 3 weeks ago

Nope. They're a pair of cunts that deserve longer and it's not a zero sum game. We can, and should, have be jailing both

[–] bungalowtill@lemmy.dbzer0.com 13 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (3 children)

4 years!

Of course it’s fucked up and whatever, but this feels like a populist sentence. 4 years is an incredibly long time. In what way is this adequate for the crime. Like mentioned before, there is infinite damage being done to nature in the name of business, very rarely somebody is getting a little bit of blowback, and these two guys, who really don’t have much potential to destroy anything more are sent away as an example? To whom? The generally misbehaving public?

[–] NickwithaC@lemmy.world 8 points 3 weeks ago

In what way is this adequate for the crime

What is the maximum sentence for damage of public property?

[–] Ilovethebomb@sh.itjust.works 2 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

This was deliberate, planned, and done purely to destroy something others enjoyed.

I'd say it's about right.

[–] Berstrrs@lemmy.dbzer0.com -1 points 3 weeks ago

Is building a housing estate on a green belt or a park not deliberate, planned, and done purely to destroy something others enjoyed?

[–] TheGrandNagus@lemmy.world 0 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

Cool yeah, let's have short sentences for destroying cultural landmarks. I'm sure that'll be fine.

We both know that these men will, unfortunately, be out far sooner than 4 years time.

[–] wewbull@feddit.uk 1 points 3 weeks ago (4 children)

They shouldn't be inside at all. We don't have the prison space to spend on things like this. It should be dealt with in the community.

[–] TheGrandNagus@lemmy.world 2 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

I.e. translating to no real punishment. For permanently destroying a historically significant site, then constantly lying in court.

I'm sure there would be zero repercussions from that.

Jesus Christ, I am immensely thankful you aren't a judge or legislator.

[–] zedcell@lemmygrad.ml 1 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

Get them in the stocks to be pelted by tomatoes by the community

[–] wewbull@feddit.uk 3 points 3 weeks ago

Not quite what I was thinking, but better than 4 years a piece.

[–] Ilovethebomb@sh.itjust.works 1 points 3 weeks ago

How, exactly, would one do that? Especially considering these men seem to have no community spirit whatsoever?

[–] x00z@lemmy.world 9 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

a 150 year sentence for killing a 150 year old tree would be nice

[–] HumanPenguin@feddit.uk 7 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

Given a sycamore can like for 500 years although 300 is more common.

If that the maths we follow. Potential life lost to the tree of 350 years is more reasonable.

[–] Nasan@sopuli.xyz 4 points 3 weeks ago

Multiply by 2.5 given the celebrity status of the tree.

[–] Horse@lemmygrad.ml 7 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

these men aren't a danger to the public and aren't likely to do it again, there is no legitimate reason for a prison sentence
just give them a very long period of community service, maybe tree related

[–] Tangentism@lemmy.ml 1 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

The sentencing is to (slow - bah it was meant to be...) show that wilful destruction of ancient trees and heritage sites will not go unpunished.

They are a pair of cunts that destroyed a beloved tree and I disagree, if they hadn't been jailed, they would very likely do something similar again seeing as they revelled in the media attention and took keepsakes.

[–] Horse@lemmygrad.ml 3 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

i both hate these pricks for killing the tree and am ideologically biased against at least one of them because he's a petite-bourgeois scumbag and i still believe that they wouldn't be stupid enough to do something similar again
having them perform service for the community is cheaper, improves the community, and takes the sheen off their notoriety if they do indeed still revel in the attention
prison as a punishment is backwards medieval thinking, it should be reserved purely for people who are a genuine danger to the public or are extremely likely to repeat their crime

[–] MehBlah@lemmy.world 7 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

Was there a statement from either of them on why? I know why is really the hardest answer to get from someone but did they just hate the tree. Did their sisters turn down a marriage proposal from them at that site?

[–] Tangentism@lemmy.ml 10 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

One claimed he was so drunk he doesn't remember loading up his range rover, driving to the parking spot then carrying the equipment to the tree, cutting it down with precision not expected of someone blind drunk, carried all the kit back to the car, drive home then had a moment of clarity.

The other one said he's such a weak idiot that the other one led him astray

[–] TheGrandNagus@lemmy.world 7 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

You should look up some of the messages the court case revealed. It sums up how nasty, spiteful, and truly hateful these two men are.

They took active joy in making people miserable. They knew targeting a loved cultural landmark would make people angry and miserable, so that's what they did.

Their motivation was purely to hurt.

[–] tinned_tomatoes@feddit.uk 3 points 3 weeks ago

No motive other than being sad losers who wanted the fake glory of being the one to chop down a beloved tree.

corpos rape the planet: giggling sunflower

two dudes kill a tree: angry sunflower