A man accused of attempting to murder a family member at an Auckland McDonald’s has denied the charge and is heading to trial.   

The man, in his 40s, was initially charged with grievous bodily harm in the Auckland District Court following the alleged frenzied attack on January 11 at the Stoddard Road McDonald’s. 

But the charge was later upgraded to attempted murder and the case moved to the High Court, where the man had his first appearance today before Justice Mathew Downs. 

He entered pleas of not guilty via his lawyer to charges of attempted murder and failing to carry out his obligations in respect of a computer search. 

Justice Downs set a trial date of April 28 next year. The man retained interim name suppression ahead of a hearing in May. 

Court documents show the complainant is a family member with whom he shares a surname. 

Footage from the scene showed emergency services carrying someone out on a stretcher and a large amount of blood inside the restaurant. About a dozen police cars were at the scene. 

The scene of the alleged attempted murder at McDonald's on Stoddard Rd on January 11. Photo / Hayden Woodward 

The complainant was critically injured. 

Detective Senior Sergeant Ash Matthews of the Auckland City CIB said at the time there was no ongoing threat to public safety. 

“This appears to be an isolated incident between two parties in a family relationship,” he said.