Man admits supplying tragic chef found dead in woods with drugs and 'preventing lawful burial' - but denies poison charge
Neil Cuckson, 32, is set to go on trial in March
Hiran Chauhan's body was found in woodland in Salford
A man has admitted supplying drugs to tragic Northern Quarter chef Hiran Chauhan, perverting the course of justice and preventing a lawful burial.
But Neil Cuckson, 32, has denied poisoning him to endanger life and is set to go on trial next year.
Hiran Chauhan, aged 24, had been missing for a week before his body was found wrapped in plastic in undergrowth among trees off Eccles Old Road in Salford at around 8am on July 9.
The grim discovery was made by schoolchildren using the wood as a cut through.
Today (Thursday) Mr Cuckson, of Eccles Old Road in Salford, appeared before a judge at Manchester Crown Court.
The body of missing chef, Hiran Chauhan, was found in woodland off Eccles Old Road, Salford.(Image: MEN Media)
Appearing via video-link, he entered pleas to five charges as Mr Chauhan's family watched from the public gallery.
He pleaded not guilty to a charge of administering a poison or a noxious substance, namely methamphetamine, on July 3 this year to endanger life.
He entered guilty pleas to four other charges: supplying a class A drug methamphetamine to Mr Chauhan; suppling a class C drug gamma hydroxybutyric acid, also known as GHB, to Mr Chauhan; perverting the course of justice, namely that he did a series of acts impeding the investigation into the death between July 2 and July 11 this year, and preventing a lawful burial.
The judge, His Honour Judge Alan Conrad QC, adjourned the case until March 2 for trial.
Hiran Chauhan(Image: GMP)
Mr Cuckson was remanded in custody.
Mr Chauhan, from Seedley, Salford, did not return home following a shift at El Capo restaurant in Manchester city centre.
Hiran was brought up in Greater Manchester but later moved to Birmingham with family where he trained to become a chef.
Close pal Nicole Molyneux was also among those to pay tribute to Hiran.
She told the M.E.N Hiran 'lit up the room with his personality and presence' and was 'one of a kind'.
Nicole added: "He was selfless and kind and so so thoughtful, no one deserves this especially someone like him with a heart of gold.
"He had ambitions and goals he was planning on moving to New Zealand next year to further his cooking career.
"Manchester was a stop-off point so he could spend time with his family and friends before he moved."
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