Michaela
A UK court has denied computer engineer James Howells’ latest attempt to secure permission to excavate a landfill in Newport, South Wales, for his lost Bitcoin — 8,000 BTC.
Howells shared the court’s rejection on X, outlining his next steps following the UK Royal Court of Appeal’s decision. “Appeal request to the Royal Court of Appeal: refused. The Great British Injustice System strikes again,” he wrote.
Howells further indicated that his next course of action will be to file a case with the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).
Although the ECHR cannot overturn a UK court ruling, a favorable verdict for Howells could prompt UK courts to review whether their interpretation of the law aligns with the convention’s provisions.
Judge Christopher Nugee denied Howells’ application, explaining that there was no “real prospect of success.”
“There is no other compelling reason why the appeal should be heard and permission must therefore be refused,” the filing indicated.
The latest rejection of the James Howells case follows a prior dismissal in early January by High Court Judge Andre Keyseer, who also ruled that there was “no realistic prospect” of success if the case proceeded to trial.
The court filings mark the latest chapter in Howells’ ongoing legal battle with UK courts as he seeks to recover his lost Bitcoin.
The hard drive in question, which contains 8,000 Bitcoin mined in 2009 when the cryptocurrency was worth only $13, was reportedly discarded by Howells’ partner in 2013.
For the past 12 years, Howells has repeatedly sought permission from the Newport City Council (NCC) to search the landfill. Over the years, he has gathered a team of specialists to aid in the recovery effort and has even proposed sharing a portion of the Bitcoin with the council if the hard drive is successfully retrieved.
In a February X post, Howells also hinted at possibly purchasing the landfill. “Am considering purchasing a landfill site. Funding secured,” the computer systems engineer wrote.
An X user proposed that James Howells acquire the site under the guise of an environmental non-profit initiative to acquire his lost Bitcoin.”Play into the cliché. The city and everyone else would support you. Change your story to: “The Bitcoins are lost, but I want to give back to the earth by creating a new green park.” And of course, you dig for it,” the user wrote.
Howells replied, stating that he and his team were already working toward that approach. “Thats pretty much what we are trying to achieve. It’s 50/50. Yes we want to find the HDD but we cant just dig and create a mess. We can fully remediate the landfill to its original condition, cleaning and stopping any additional environmental damage to the local area. NCC said no,” he wrote.
Read More
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Michaela has no crypto positions and does not hold any crypto assets. This article is provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. The Shib Magazine and The Shib Daily are the official media and publications of the Shiba Inu cryptocurrency project. Readers are encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial adviser before making any investment decisions.
