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The report says it wasn't a sealed copy. And they didn't check that the defendants' solicitors were authorised to accept service.

"The claimant’s solicitors argued that the claim form had been included in correspondence sent the previous July, but the judge found this was sent only as a ‘protective measure’ to meet limitation deadlines. They did not ask the defendants whether they had instructions to accept service or whether they were prepared to accept service by email.

Pelling added that the failure to serve a court-sealed copy of the claim form and response pack proved the claimant’s solicitors were not attempting to serve the claim form under cover of the July letters.