paul golding
Paul Golding while on a 'Christian patrol' through Bury Park, Luton, in January YouTube/Britain First

Britain First has been plunged into further crisis after a police force said it would take the far-right group's leader to court following an incident at a mosque in Cardiff.

It comes as the political party's deputy leader, Jayda Fransen, faces her own court action, currently standing trial accused of religious harassment following a separate incident in Luton.

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Leader Paul Golding, 34, was served with a court summons by Bedfordshire Police on Wednesday (2 November) accusing him of breaching the terms of a High Court injunction granted on 11 August.

It banned him from entering any mosque in England and Wales for the next three years.

He will be forced to appear before the High Court in December.

Golding described the legal action as "ridiculous" and accused the police force of "trying to destroy" his party.

He added: "If I'm found guilty of contempt of the High Court I will go to prison for six months. It's a very serious crime."

Bedfordshire Police – which originally sought the injunction to stem the anti-Islam party's controversial activism in Luton – said the alleged breach relates to an incident in Cardiff on 20 August during which Britain First activists filmed themselves carrying out one of the group's so-called "mosque invasions".

It saw them enter Al-Manar Islamic Centre and grill its members over allegations, printed in a national newspaper the previous month, that the mosque's Imam, Ali Hammuda, was a "radical" preacher. Hammuda, and those at the mosque, strenuously deny the accusation.

Golding confirmed to IBTimes UK days after the incident that he was present outside the centre at the time, but said he did not enter the mosque.

A spokeswoman for Bedfordshire Police said its officers had "worked closely with South Wales Police to investigate the matter".

She said: "Bedfordshire Police has today (Wednesday) served a civil notice against Britain First organiser Paul Golding in connection with a suspected breach of an injunction agreed on 11 August, which relates to Mr Golding's activities around mosques."

The legal action is expected to focus on whether the injunction banned Golding not only from entering mosques, but also from encouraging his activists to do so (the full terms of the injunction can be seen below).

Golding had said he was under the impression the High Court order only banned him from entering a mosque.

The terms of the injunction also banned him from entering parts of Luton.

Golding has previously spoken of his party being financially crippled by "endless" legal action against him and other senior members.

He was served the court summons by two police officers as he attended the criminal trial of his party's deputy leader at Luton Magistrates' Court.

Fransen, 30, was charged with religious harassment, wearing a political uniform and failure to comply with bail conditions.

It follows a separate incident in January during which she led Britain First activists through the streets of Bury Park, in Luton.

She is alleged to have hurled abuse at a Muslim woman for wearing a hijab.

She denies all charges, with her trial expected to conclude on Thursday (3 November).

What are the terms of the High Court injunction against Britain First's leaders (source: Bedfordshire Police)?

The injunction bans either Paul Golding or Jayda Fransen (either by themselves or by instructing or encouraging or giving permission to any other person), for a period of three years, from:

(a) Entering any Mosque or Islamic Cultural Centre or its private grounds within England and Wales without prior written invitation.

(b) Being within a designated exclusion zone in the Bury Park area save unless that person remains at all times within a railway carriage travelling along the railroad adjoining Luton railway station.

(c) Causing, permitting, encouraging or inciting any person to enter or remain in designated exclusion zone in the Bury Park area save unless that person remains at all times within a railway carriage travelling along the railroad adjoining Luton railway station.

(d) Publishing, broadcasting, distributing or displaying, or causing or encouraging to be published, broadcast, distributed or displayed, any images or films showing any person or event, on a date after the making of this order, within designated exclusion zones in the Bury Park and Town Centre areas.

(e) Entering a designated exclusion zone in the Town Centre area save in accordance with paragraph 1 (g) below.

(f) Causing, permitting, encouraging or inciting any person to enter or remain in the designated exclusion zone in the Town Centre area save in accordance with paragraph 1 (g) below.

(g) The Respondents are permitted to enter a designated area in the Town Centre for the purposes of, and only for the purposes of, attending hearings at Luton Magistrates Court and Luton Crown Court at which they are required to attend as defendants in criminal proceedings. They are also permitted to instruct legal representatives to attend such hearings. The Respondents must give the Chief Constable of Bedfordshire Police advanced written notice of all such attendances by 5pm on the working day before the relevant hearing.