Carmen murder not guilty plea

Carmen Thomas' murder accused Brad Callaghan appeared in the Auckland District Court via a video link from Auckland Central Remand Prison. Photo / Supplied

The man accused of murdering Auckland mother Carmen Thomas has pleaded not guilty.

Bradford Callaghan appeared at the Auckland High Court where two not guilty pleas were entered through counsel.

His lawyer Stuart Grieve QC told the court that a trial date in February next year had been set down. He said that was estimated to take between four and five weeks. He asked the court to record that the trial may not be able to go ahead on that date.

"I don't want to discuss that in court with media present."

Callaghan is accused of murdering his former partner, who was the mother of their little boy, Jack.

The 32-year-old was killed on June 29 last year.

Police found her dismembered body set in concrete in plastic containers buried in the Waitakere Ranges in October.

Mr Grieve said should problems arise, a new date for the trial could be set down.

Callaghan has been remanded in custody until his trial.