Well, that answers the PP question, I'm not shocked by being able to renew it honestly, it was pre-biometric passports and as long as he looked close to the original guy (race and eye colour) then he would have likely gotten in no problems then on the first renewal switch to his photo and from there on plain sailing unless the original guy reported it stolen. He may never have traveled again, had the passport before the kid put it in the drawer, and couldn't afford travel until maybe the past few years, went to apply for a new one and suddenly it came to light.