Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is facing a possible jail sentence over contempt of court allegations.
Robinson, aged 41, was remanded in custody after handing himself in at a police station in Folkestone, Kent and is being charged with one count of failing to provide his mobile phone’s PIN under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000.
He will but has been remanded in custody ahead of a separate contempt of court case on Monday.
Prior to his arrest, he was due to lead a rally in London on Saturday but now, he will be appearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 13 November over the charge.
Earlier today Robinson spoke to supporters outside the police station, where he told them: “I’ll see what happens mate, I don’t expect to come back out there.”
A High Court judge had issued a warrant for the former English Defence League (EDL) leader’s arrest after he defaulted in appearing for a contempt of court hearing at the end of July.
Apparently, he had left the country the day after leading a protest in central London and hours after being released on unconditional bail by Kent Police.
It was the same Kent police that arrested him at the Channel Tunnel at Folkestone under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000.
That law allows police to precent anyone from passing through a UK port “to determine whether they may be involved or concerned in the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism”.
Robinson, who flew back to the UK just last weekend, is facing a possible jail sentence over the contempt of court claims, especially since he allegedly breached a 2021 High Court ruling, which ordered him to pay £100,000 in damages and legal costs, and barred him from repeating libellous allegations against a Syrian refugee who sued him successfully.
Robinson is also accused of constantly breaching the order, including by airing a film at the July protest in Trafalgar Square and in interviews between February and June 2023.
