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James Howells’ lengthy battle to recover 8,000 Bitcoin faces another setback as a UK court dismisses his latest appeal.
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Newport City Council halts the excavation of the landfill, citing environmental risks, leaving Howells considering a last appeal to the European Court.
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“I have one last legal option left,” Howells stated, emphasizing his persistent quest for the lost Bitcoin, now valued at approximately $672 million.
James Howells’ fight to retrieve 8,000 lost Bitcoin faces multiple legal challenges as he aims for recovery amid escalating environmental concerns.
A costly mistake: How 8,000 Bitcoin ended up in a landfill
In 2013, when Bitcoin was trading at approximately $100 per coin, Howells mistakenly threw away a laptop hard drive containing the private keys to his Bitcoin holdings. At that time, the cryptocurrency’s total worth was around $800,000, a fraction of its current value. Unbeknownst to Howells, the drive ended up in the Docksway landfill in Newport, Wales, with Bitcoin’s price surging to $83,969.10 as of March 2025, catapulting the lost Bitcoin’s value into the hundreds of millions.
Legal battles and courtroom setbacks
Since realizing his mistake, Howells has repeatedly sought permission from Newport City Council to excavate the landfill in hopes of recovering the hard drive. He proposed funding the operation himself and even offered the council and local community a portion of the recovered Bitcoin. However, his requests have consistently been denied due to environmental concerns and legal constraints. In December 2024, Howells escalated the matter by filing a lawsuit against the council, demanding £495 million in damages, arguing for his right to search for his lost digital fortune. However, in January 2025, Judge Keyser KC ruled against him, stating that his case had “no realistic prospect of succeeding.” The court upheld the council’s position, asserting that any item discarded in the landfill legally becomes council property.
A final attempt: What’s next for Howells?
Despite the court ruling, Howells is not giving up. He publicly stated that he plans to take his case to the European Court of Human Rights, claiming that the refusal of Newport City Council violates his property rights. This could be his last chance at securing legal permission to dig for the missing Bitcoin. Adding to the situation’s urgency, the council has announced plans to close the landfill by 2026 to develop a solar farm on the site. With this impending development, Howells has suggested that if legal avenues fail, he may attempt to buy the landfill to gain control over the search operation. Whether he can acquire the land and whether the hard drive is even recoverable after more than a decade remains uncertain.
Conclusion
James Howells’ relentless pursuit of his lost Bitcoin highlights the complexities of digital asset ownership and legal property rights. As he prepares for potentially his final stance in court, the community watches closely, not only for Howells’ outcome but for the broader implications it may hold for future cryptocurrency holders who face similar predicaments.
