A man's long-running legal battle to recover a hard drive containing 8,000 Bitcoin has faced yet another setback, as the UK Court of Appeal denied his request to search a landfill.
The hard drive, which was accidentally discarded in 2013, is now believed to be worth approximately $831 million at current Bitcoin price.
James Howells, an early Bitcoin adopter, had sought permission to dig through the Docksway landfill site, where he believes the discarded hard drive is buried.
His previous attempts to secure approval from the Newport City Council were rejected, with officials citing environmental concerns and the cost of the operation.
The rejection from the Court of Appeal, delivered by Judge Christopher Nugee, confirmed that there was no “real prospect of success” in the case.
Howells expressed his frustration with the decision through his X post on 14 March, stating,
“The Great British Injustice System strikes again… The state always protects the state.”
Despite the setback, he made it clear that his fight is far from over and vowed to take the case to the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).
Howells, determined not to give up on his quest to recover the Bitcoin, intends to appeal to the ECHR, where he will argue that his right to property and a fair trial under the European Convention has been violated.
He specifically refers to Article 1 of Protocol 1 and Article 6, which deal with the protection of property and the right to a fair hearing.
Howells wrote in a statement to Cointelegraph, reaffirming his resolve,
“The British establishment want to sweep this under the carpet, and i will not let them. It will not go away — no matter how long it takes!”
The ECHR’s ruling, however, would not have the authority to overturn the decisions made by UK courts.
Instead, it could influence how UK laws are interpreted in light of the European Convention’s principles.
Time is running out for Howells to recover the hard drive.
The Docksway landfill is scheduled to close in the 2025-2026 financial year, further complicating the task.
Docksway landfill, Newport, Wales
The landfill site, where Howells' former partner unintentionally threw away the hard drive containing the private keys to his Bitcoin, has been at the centre of the dispute for years.
The hard drive was discarded during a household clearout, and Howells has been trying ever since to retrieve it.
He had no idea that the Bitcoin would become such a valuable asset.
The UK High Court previously dismissed Howells' case in January, agreeing with Judge Andrew Keyser’s statement that there was “no realistic prospect” of success in a full trial.
Now, with the Royal Court of Appeal’s decision, Howells’ chances of success appear slimmer, but his resolve remains intact.
As he stated, he will not let the issue be swept under the carpet, in response to the legal system's refusal to permit him to search the landfill.
His commitment to seeking justice and reclaiming his Bitcoin seems unwavering, even in the face of repeated failures.
North Korea's Lazarus Group has become one of the largest Bitcoin holders, controlling 13,562 BTC, after stealing $1.46 billion in a crypto heist. This makes North Korea one of the top government holders of Bitcoin, raising concerns about their intentions and role in global cybercrime.
AnaisThe Bank of Korea rejected the idea of holding Bitcoin in its foreign exchange reserves due to concerns about volatility and liquidity. Despite growing political interest in Bitcoin reserves, the central bank remains cautious and aligns with global trends of skepticism.
AnaisAmerican streamer Amouranth survived a violent home invasion in Houston, where armed intruders assaulted her and demanded her cryptocurrency keys. Four suspects, including two teenagers, were arrested, and the case highlights the rising danger of criminals targeting people with significant digital assets.
JoyGemini set a Guinness World Record by using 1,000 drones to form the Bitcoin logo in the sky over Austin, Texas. The event celebrated Bitcoin's role in the US Strategic Bitcoin Reserve initiative and showcased the growing influence of cryptocurrency.
AnaisRussia is increasingly using cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Tether to conduct oil trade with China and India, bypassing Western sanctions. The use of intermediaries and offshore accounts has made crypto a key tool in these transactions, speeding up operations despite financial restrictions.
WeatherlyThe White House is planning to acquire large amounts of Bitcoin for a strategic reserve, with support for the Bitcoin Act that proposes purchasing up to $80 billion worth of Bitcoin. The government aims to do this in a budget-neutral way, possibly using gold certificates, though the feasibility remains unclear.
WeatherlyA growing number of wealthy U.S. investors are turning to cryptocurrency, with 26% already holding crypto and 38% planning to invest in the future, especially among younger investors. Despite this interest, many still view crypto mainly as an investment tool rather than a technology for broader applications.
AnaisVideo streaming platform Rumble has purchased approximately 188 Bitcoin (worth around $17.1 million) ahead of the recent market downturn, the company announced Wednesday.
XingChiBitcoin, an entity that was once dominated by China, seems to be slipping away from China and tipping towards the United States and President Trump.
XingChiCointelegraph tweeted that SEC approved iShares' Bitcoin (BTC) Spot ETF, but was confirmed to be false by BlackRock.
AaronBinance faces regulatory hurdles and market challenges in the UK as new customer registrations come to a halt.
Hui XinTether's new CEO Paolo Ardoino cautioned against believing that crypto is a tool for crime.
ClementOn October 16th, Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, carried out its 25th quarterly token burn, resulting in the removal of more than $450 million worth of Binance Coin (BNB). This strategic move is part of an ongoing effort to manage the total supply of BNB through the BNB Auto-Burn system.
JasperTether froze funds in 32 cryptocurrency addresses connected to suspected terrorism and warfare activities in Israel and Ukraine; the combined amount is $873,118.
CatherineBinance has announced that with immediate effect, new user registrations in the UK are to be suspended.
ClementWhen McDonald's introduced the self-service kiosk, for example, I found that my impression of McDonald's inevitably changed.
SnakeThe exchange is one of only two exchanges in Hong Kong licensed under the digital asset-rules introduced by the city in June.
AlexUniswap will soon implement a 0.15% swap fee on their web application and wallet interfaces, marking the first time such a fee has been introduced, sparking controversy in the crypto community.
KikyoOver the past few months, Huang has deployed a total of 1,761 $ETH (equivalent to $2.89 million) and 52,000 $USDC to acquire 2.24 million $APE tokens valued at $2.94 million.
Davin