Individual Seeking Recovery of Stolen 7,500 BTC Bitcoins to Petition European Court of Human Rights
United Kingdom's Court of Appeal Denies Permission for James Howells to Search Landfill for Bitcoin Hard Drive
The Court of Appeal in the United Kingdom rejected the request of James Howells to search a landfill for a hard drive containing approximately 7,500 Bitcoin (nearly $621.9 million). The court deemed that there were "no real prospects of success" and "no other compelling reasons" to grant the request.
Howells has announced his intention to appeal the decision to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), citing violations of his property rights and the right to a fair trial. In his statement to Cointelegraph, he expressed his determination to "sweep this under the rug" and indicated that this would not be the end of the matter.
The ECHR ruling would not overturn the UK court ruling, but a verdict in Howells' favor would require British courts to reassess if their interpretation of the law aligns with the European Convention on Human Rights. The Bitcoins were mined by Howells in 2013 but were accidentally discarded and subsequently transported to the Newport Docksway landfill.
Howells has made multiple attempts to retrieve the hard drive, offering money to authorities and suggesting searches using X-ray scanning and Boston Dynamics robot dogs. The UK government plans to seal off the Newport landfill between 2025 and 2026, and Howells has expressed his willingness to purchase part of the site to continue his search.
Experts have shared their views that the chances of finding the hard drive and recovering its data are close to zero. The landfill site's closure complicates Howells' claims as the environmental and health risks from excavation are significant. The local council contends that since the hard drive was discarded on the site, they legally possess it. However, Howells has emphasized his ownership and offered financial incentives to the council and the community.
Howells' case is unprecedented as it links digital assets stored physically in landfill with property law and environmental regulation. Should his appeal to the ECHR be successful, it could potentially set a legal precedent for digital property rights.
The decision by the United Kingdom's Court of Appeal not to allow James Howells to search a landfill for a hard drive containing Bitcoin did not deter Howells' intention to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), as he believes his property rights and right to a fair trial were violated. The application of technology, such as X-ray scanning and Boston Dynamics robot dogs, in the search for the lost Bitcoin hard drive, may be a significant topic of discussion if Howells' appeal to the ECHR is successful and British courts are required to reassess their interpretation of the law in accordance with the European Convention on Human Rights.
