The man accused of murdering British backpacker Grace Millane was jeered in court as his identity was revealed publicly for the first time.

Jesse Kempson, 26, was called a “scumbag” by a heckler in the public gallery during his first appearance before a judge at Auckland’s District Court in New Zealand.

He appeared in a blue boiler suit and sat close to the family of his alleged victim, whose body was found dumped in woodland close to a busy road on Sunday.

Ms Millane, 22, had been travelling in New Zealand when she disappeared, last seen allegedly in the company of the man at CityLife hotel on December 1.

The defendant was listed on a charge sheet as residing at the hotel on Queen Street in central Auckland.

In his opening remarks Judge Evangelos Thomas addressed members of Millane’s family, some of whom were in attendance from their home in Essex.

Her father, David Millane, arrived in New Zealand last Friday following his daughter’s disappearance.

“Your grief must be desperate,” Judge Thomas told the family in court, where every seat was taken by the public and the international and local media.

“All of us hope that justice for Grace is fair and swift and ultimately brings you some peace.”

Kempson looked at the judge for most of the 90 minutes he was in court, nodding that he understood when spoken to, his eyes only occasionally flicking towards the cameras on the other side of the court.

His next appearance will be in the High Court on January 23.

It emerged that he left a comment underneath one of Ms Millane’s Facebook pictures calling her: "Beautiful very radiant" (sic) just 11 minutes before she was last seen. 

The first details about his personal life began to emerge in the week after his arrest.

Kempson was reportedly estranged from his family after his parents separated, according to a relative.

Security footage at the hotel, along with a scene investigation at a room there, confirmed that Ms Millane was dead.   

Detective Inspector Scott Beard said the body was found near Scenic Drive, which leads through the Waitakere Ranges, a popular parkland west of Auckland.

Ms Millane’s body was allegedly transported to the area in a red Toyota Corolla hatchback that was rented from a central Auckland firm last Sunday.

Police released two photos of the car, which was found in the central North Island town of Taupo, and were appealing for anyone who had seen the vehicle on the morning of Monday, December 3, near the area where the body was found.

Ms Millane, who completed a degree in advertising and marketing at Lincoln University, was on a yearlong trip and arrived in New Zealand on November 20 after a four-week group tour to Peru.

Her family raised concerns after she failed to make contact for several days, including on her 22nd birthday last Sunday.

Detective Inspector Scott Beard confirmed Grace Millane’s body was intact when discovered and that the scene examination at Scenic Drive was complete as of 12.20pm on Tuesday, New Zealand time.

He said he was aware of "a great deal of public speculation about what happened to Grace".

"It is with great reluctance that I will only confirm the following, and say that Grace’s body was intact when it was recovered."

Police are seeking a long handled, round-mouthed shovel believed to be related to the murder inquiry.

Beard said police would like to hear from anyone who may have found this item anytime after Monday 3 December.

"At this point we don’t know where this item is. It could be anywhere between the Scenic Drive and central Auckland areas. Someone may have come across it, picked it up and taken it home. We need to speak to that person or anyone who has seen it."

He said hundreds of calls have been made to the 0800 number and officers were continuing to work their way through all of the information provided.

"A large number of staff remain on the inquiry, as investigators continue to build a timeline to establish the exact circumstances of what occurred," he said.