A judge has suppressed details of allegations faced by a 24-year-old man charged with murder after headless remains were found in an Auckland garage last year.

James Cooper was back in Auckland District Court on Friday charged with murdering Javed Mills, whose remains were found in a Mt Wellington property in September 2011.

Cooper's lawyer Mina Wharepouri told the court the details needed to be suppressed as there was a risk a fair trial could be prejudiced.

Judge Anne Kiernan agreed and issued an interim order which lapses when Cooper next appears at a High Court callover on October 24.

Mr Wharepouri said Cooper denied the murder charge but would plead guilty at some stage to a charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Police believe Mr Mills died in 2009 at a house where he lived for a short time that was close to the property where his remains were found.

Mr Mills' remains were found by contractors demolishing a house last September. He was not identified until June this year.