A judge at Belfast Crown Court has ordered the arrest of a man who failed to appear for arraignment on a series of burglary and other charges for the second day running.

Joseph Emmanuel McDonnell, 38, of Hillan Court off Cliftonpark Avenue in north Belfast, is accused of 17 offences. He was due to be formally charged at the court on Tuesday but did not attend.

Defence solicitor John Burke told Judge Patrick Lynch KC on Tuesday that he had been unable to contact McDonnell. The judge gave the defence 24 hours to produce him in court or face a bench warrant.

When the case was called again today, Mr Burke confirmed that McDonnell still had not attended. Judge Lynch issued a bench warrant for his arrest.

The charges against McDonnell include seven counts of burglary of business premises, four counts of criminal damage, and the burglary of a care home. He also faces three charges of assault on police, one of resisting police, and one of attempted criminal damage.

No details of the alleged circumstances were given during today's hearing. However, earlier court proceedings heard that the charges relate to alleged break-ins at hotels, a residential nursing home, and a school in Belfast.

The alleged offences are said to have occurred between April and December 2024. They include break-ins at the Bullitt Hotel and Ramada Hotel, where medication, alcohol and bagpipe parts were reported stolen. A B&M Bargains store on Rosemary Street was allegedly targeted and an iPhone, headphones, a purse and cash taken.

Other premises named in the charges include the Hollywood Bowl on Queen's Quay, from which bottles of alcohol were allegedly stolen, and the Five Guys restaurant within the SSE Arena complex, where laptops valued at £1,600 were taken. McDonnell is also accused of burgling Belfast Royal Academy, damaging doors and windows, and stealing laptops and iPads.

At Clifton Nursing Home in north Belfast, he allegedly stole cash and laptops and damaged fixtures and fittings. A tanning salon in the same part of the city was also allegedly broken into, with cash stolen and a door and fixtures damaged.

Following his arrest, McDonnell was charged with three assaults on police, resisting police, and attempted criminal damage to a PSNI cell van while being transported to custody.