Uncle accused of stabbing his 25-year-old niece and Sydney university student to death and dumping her naked body in a blowhole to plead not guilty

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The uncle of a 25-year-old Sydney based Chinese international student who was found dead in a blowhole with stab wounds will plead not guilty to her murder.

Derek Barrett, 27, is accused of stabbing his niece Mengmei Leng, also known as Michelle, to death and dumping her body in a blowhole at Snapper Point on the Central Coast in NSW last month.

His lawyer Bill Whitby told Burwood Local Court on Wednesday that Barrett would be pleading not guilty and he was shocked and upset over her death, according to the ABC.  

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Derek Barrett, 27, (left) is accused of stabbing his niece Mengmei Leng (right) to death and dumping her body in a blowhole at Snapper Point on the Central Coast in NSW last month 

Police believe Mengmei Leng was murdered inside her family home at Campsie, south-west of Sydney. An autopsy revealed she tried to fight off her attacker and suffered a number of stab wounds

Friends and family of Ms Leng were in the packed courtroom but Barrett was not required to attend and will appear on June 29. 

Ms Leng's mother has travelled from China with relatives after news of her daughter's murder. 

Barrett, who is married to Ms Leng's aunt, was charged over the 25-year-old student's murder after police released CCTV footage of her last shopping trip in Sydney's CBD on April 21.

The footage showed her shopping in Pitt Street Mall before boarding a train at St James Station and getting of at Campsie in Sydney's south-west.  

Police believe Ms Leng returned to her family home in Campsie on the Thursday afternoon where she lived with her uncle, aunt and cousin.

She was allegedly murdered inside the home. 

Barrett, who is married to Ms Leng's aunt, was charged with over the 25-year-old student's murder after police released CCTV footage of her last shopping trip in Sydney's CBD on April 21 

Ms Leng appears to have visited the where her body was found in the past as she posted a photo to her Instagram account of the exact same blowhole almost three years ago on June 13, 2013

The 25-year-old, who is originally from China, is a University of Technology Sydney graduate who studied economics and hospitality business management 

Police released CCTV footage to track Ms Leng's last movements, which showed her shopping in Pitt Street Mall before boarding a train at St James Station and getting of at Campsie in Sydney's south-west 

An autopsy revealed Ms Leng attempted to fight off her attacker and suffered a number of defensive wounds, as well as over 30 stabbing blows.

It is believed CCTV footage captured a car entering Lake Munmorah national park around 7am on Sunday.

Police will allege Ms Leng’s body was inside the car.

Barrett, a former IT worker, was unemployed at the time of the murder.

Police will allege that he stabbed Ms Leng more than 30 times and are awaiting further forensic results.

An autopsy revealed Ms Leng attempted to fight off her attacker and suffered a number of defensive wounds, as well as over 30 stabbing blows 

The 25-year-old, who is originally from China, is a University of Technology Sydney graduate

Security footage showed Ms Leng shopping in Sydney's Pitt Street Mall on the Thursday before her body was found

Barrett did not apply for bail after he was arrested. He wore a blue forensic jumpsuit and did not speak nor show any emotion throughout the hearing via video link last month, according to The Daily Telegraph. 

Ms Leng appears to have visited the site of her alleged murder in the past, as she posted a photo to her Instagram account of the exact same blowhole almost three years ago on June 13, 2013. 

The 25-year-old, who is originally from China, is a University of Technology Sydney graduate who studied economics and hospitality business management.

Ms Leng was living with her aunt and uncle at Campsie and had been living in Australia for five years. Her mother and brother live in China.

Police released a photo composite of Ms Leng's face when they were unable to identify her after her body was found on the Anzac Day long weekend

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