The Irish in Britain, including those of Irish descent, make up a significant part of the UK population. Here, you will find news, entertainment, events, sports and features from the local Irish Post newspaper.

Trouble flared when two men and a youth appeared in a Belfast court accused of murder.

Plastic bottles and cups were thrown into the dock from the public gallery amid scenes of uproar.

The disturbances broke out after 32-year-old Christopher Stokes and 36-year-old Edward Stokes from Derry came before Belfast Magistrates Court charged with murdering John Mongan.

A 15-year-old youth appeared with them also accused of the killing in west Belfast.

Mr Mongan was attacked in front of his heavily-pregnant wife Julia at their home.

Edward Stokes faces an additional charge of inflicting grievous bodily harm on Mrs Mongan.

As the accused stood in the dock up to 20 people stood up in the public gallery and started shouting obscenities.

Magistrate Peter Murphy made several demands for silence and at one stage threatened to clear the court. The accused were remanded in custody until next month.

Hero postmistress

A POSTMISTRESS has been hailed as a heroine after she confronted two masked raiders and chased them from her post office.

The two robbers fled after Colette O’Connell fought to keep them out of her Gurranabraher branch office on Cork’s northside.

The 50-year-old was assaulted during the botched raid but after being punched in the mouth by one of the robbers she bit the man’s finger in a bid to free herself.

The postmistress had fought desperately to prevent the two raiders from forcing their way through the front door of her premises as she opened up for business.

The duo fled when they realised that the alarm on the post office had been triggered and ran to a waiting getaway car.

It is not thought that either of the two raiders carried firearms.

Ms O’Connell suffered cuts and bruises to her face and mouth.

Owners spied on

DOG owners are being watched.

Dublin City Council is to clampdown on dog litter in the capital’s streets by mounting covert operations aimed at catching offenders.

Mobile CCTV units and officials working undercover will mount surveillance operations to police blackspots — including Clontarf and Sandymount strands.

And owners who claim their pet was caught short can expect no mercy. The city plans to step up its enforcement activity and has promised more prosecutions and fines.