Martin,
I did not take umbridge at you advising the OP to test for dead. I'm not sure where you have got that idea from. As you mention, I always advise people to test for dead myself. Whilst I would like to think it is common sense to do so, we all know that common sense is not common, hence it's a good idea to advise as such.
I took umbridge with your comment of
What test was he going to do and who advised it.
Just to be clear.
as I read this as a litagous statement looking for someone to blame.
I also pointed out that I disagreed with your insinuation that it was neccessary to use a professional to take the socket off and have a look.
I know full well that electrical theory
is complicated, but
taking a socket of a wall is not. That's the point I was making with the 'rocket science' comment.
If he finds (as is likely) what you say, I would recommend that he
1) Buy a new socket
2) See how much undamaged cable is available; if it is sufficient to cut back and reterminate in to the new socket.
3) If not, I would then advise him to look at how far the nearest adjacent points on the RFC are from the damaged sockets, what method of cable installation has been used and how easy/difficult it would be to pull new cable from these points.
4) If he's not confident to do any of these, get a spark.