A 33-year-old man has been remanded in custody after being arrested at a ferry terminal in connection with a burglary in Derry.

Police charged David Nixon, of Kinsale Park, with entering a premises as a trespasser with intent to steal on April 15. The charge follows a report of a break-in at a property in the same street.

Officers found a glass panel in a back door smashed and a metal spanner at the scene. Blood was seen on several surfaces, including a light switch. A forensic analysis of the blood sample produced a DNA match to Nixon, a court heard.

An alert was issued and on June 22 Nixon was spotted attempting to board a ferry to Liverpool. He was taken into custody. Nixon told police he had been watching the house for the owner, who was in custody at the time. Another person told officers they were the one keeping an eye on the property, not Nixon.

During a bail application, a police officer said Nixon had 102 previous convictions and 14 breaches of bail, adding that he had displayed a propensity for dishonesty over 17 years in the criminal justice system.

Defence solicitor Seamus Quigley said the bulk of Nixon's record consisted of public order matters and low-level thefts.

Bail was refused and Nixon was remanded into custody. He is due to appear again on July 16.