A Welsh man is taking legal action against Newport council, seeking £495 million in damages as he attempts to retrieve a hard drive containing valuable Bitcoins. James Howells, 39, lost access to the cryptocurrency coins in 2013 when his hard drive was mistakenly dumped at a recycling centre. The court claim reveals that the peak valuation of his 8,000 Bitcoins earlier this year was the basis for the damages sought.
Mr Howells hopes to persuade the council to excavate its landfill in search of the lost hard drive, offering to cover the £10 million cost of the dig with his team of experts. Despite his efforts over the past decade to recover the hard drive, he claims the council has ignored him. The case is scheduled for a December hearing, with Mr Howells expressing frustration over the council’s lack of engagement since their initial meeting in 2013.
The hard drive containing the Bitcoins was mistakenly placed in a bin bag and taken to the recycling centre by Mr Howells’ then-partner, leading to the loss of the valuable cryptocurrency. His team of barristers argue that he never intended to abandon the hard drive or its contents, disputing the council’s claim of legal ownership due to it being dumped. Mr Howells remains determined to recover the hard drive and is prepared to pursue the legal battle to the highest court if necessary.
The council has stated that excavation is not feasible under their environmental permit and would have negative environmental impacts. They refute Mr Howells’ claim, emphasising their compliance with monitoring and reporting regulations for environmental parameters. The council’s stance highlights the ongoing dispute over the environmental concerns raised by Mr Howells’ proposal for excavation.
Mr Howells’ persistence in seeking the lost hard drive highlights the significant financial and legal implications at stake in the case against Newport council. His efforts to recover the valuable Bitcoins, combined with the council’s environmental considerations, underscore the complex legal and environmental challenges surrounding this ongoing dispute.