For those who think the sentence wasn’t enough I think the court ruling is just the beginning. This is going to follow them until they pass on and then the internet will hound their memory after that.
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That bastard
Tell me about it! 
Was any explanation ever offered for why they did it?
Money, fame, the girls…?
Nothing concrete because they have been both busy pointing the finger at each other. But the best guess seems to be fame, sorta. Apparently in the aftermath they were very excited by the notoriety it attracted and how viral it became. This is before they got arrested. After that they turned on each other like Kilkenny cats.
Some people are too small to leave a mark in history by creating something. So they leave a mark by destroying something.
That’s likely the best explanation. Perhaps with some alcohol or other mind-altering substance thrown in.
I agree with the idea that if anybody does something criminal specifically for fame, they deserve an extra harsh sentence for it. Now, it should be on the state to prove this part. It seems particularly easy in this case, but maybe there’s more to it than we know.
I agree too. Using predetermined law prevents people from devolving into lynch mob mentality and doing things they later regret.
Bumped because I saw a news article about determining the age of the tree in question. It surprised me that it’s not older.
Sycamore Gap’s age revealed: Iconic tree that was felled by yobs is dated using expert technique