He won't sign acknowledgment

[Vickyglitz]

... and won't put it in an email that he has received papers but I know he has them because I gave them to him and have photos of them in his drawer.

I want to just get on with this already.

What evidence is going to count as proof of service? I don't have text messages.

I think the photos. Maybe send an email to your solicitor confirming that you hand delivered them to him on x date and that he took them, and attach the photos.

He will just annoy the judge if he continues to be a dick, but that's his problem.

You'll have to get him officially served. Costs about £100-150

Get a process server to serve the documents on him directly and do an affidavit confirming they have done so. Ask them to do it for a fixed fee, most will do particularly if you know his exact whereabouts at any given time (so say he will be home at 6pm on a Wednesday night)

Don’t waste your time trying to do anything else as will cost you more in legal fees / court costs and it’s not worth it!

Ok guys I got photos of him holding the petition. He agreed to take photos with it LOL

You’ll need to make an application for “deemed service” (you can Google this!) and it would be up to the Judge to decide if this is considered good enough. There is a fee for the deemed service application and if the court don’t accept it, you will then have to service him by process server.