Looking at the actual written decision, it's a combination of your first point and the guy now living in Sweden, and choosing to rely entirely on witness statem

Looking at the actual written decision, it's a combination of your first point and the guy now living in Sweden, and choosing to rely entirely on witness statements he'd made by email. One could understand mounting a defence remotely might be more tricky, but if you email a court with "I have already made it perfectly clear that this case should never be heard in court and I will not be giving it any credence or legitimacy by attending" it's probably going to make a summary judgement against you https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/QB/2021/85.html https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/QB/2021/85.html