James Howells, an IT engineer from Newport, Wales, has exhausted his legal options to recover 8,000 Bitcoin from a landfill. The High Court in Cardiff dismissed his claim in January 2025, and an appeal was refused in March 2025. The hard drive, which holds the private keys to the Bitcoin, was accidentally thrown away in 2013 and sent to the Docksway landfill.
The Lost Hard Drive
Howells mined the 8,000 Bitcoin in the early days of the cryptocurrency. In 2013, the encrypted hard drive containing the private keys was mistakenly discarded. It ended up at the Docksway landfill in Newport, where it remains buried under tons of waste.
The Legal Battle
Howells sought permission from the court to excavate the landfill and retrieve the hard drive. The High Court in Cardiff rejected the claim in January 2025, ruling against the excavation. An appeal was filed but refused in March 2025, effectively ending Howells' legal fight.
Landfill Remains Off-Limits
The Docksway landfill is not open for digging. The court decisions mean the hard drive — and the 8,000 Bitcoin — will stay buried. Howells has no further legal avenues to pursue the recovery.
