#UK court halts treasure hunt plan#
Hot Topic Overview
Overview
A UK court has halted plans to search a landfill for $750 million worth of Bitcoin. James Howells, an IT engineer who accidentally discarded a hard drive containing $735 million worth of Bitcoin in 2013, had been trying to persuade Newport City Council to allow him access to the landfill to search for the drive. However, the court rejected his application, citing the high environmental risks and the "no realistic prospect of success" of the case at trial. The judge argued that even if the hard drive were found, there was no guarantee that the data would be intact, and that digging up the landfill would cause irreversible environmental damage.
Ace Hot Topic Analysis
Analysis
A UK court has rejected IT engineer James Howells' application to search a landfill for $735 million worth of Bitcoin. Howells accidentally discarded the hard drive containing the Bitcoin in 2013 and has been trying to persuade Newport City Council to allow him access to the landfill to dig. However, the court found the plan posed significant environmental risks and had "no realistic prospect of success" at trial. The judge ruled that digging up the landfill would cause irreversible damage to the environment and the chances of finding the hard drive were extremely slim. Newport City Council has also consistently refused access to the landfill, arguing that digging would pose safety risks to local residents. Although Howells offered to cover all digging costs and promised to take environmentally friendly measures, the court ultimately sided with environmental protection and public safety, denying his application.
Public Sentiment · Discussion Word Cloud
Public Sentiment
Discussion Word Cloud
Classic Views
A plan to find the bitcoins poses environmental risks, the court found that the plan has no realistic chance of success.
Newport City Council refused to enter the landfill due to concerns that digging could damage the environment.
James Howells attempted to legally recover $735 million worth of bitcoins but ultimately failed.
The value of bitcoin has skyrocketed over the past decade, making the search for lost bitcoins more attractive.