Student Admits Murder of Housemate

A 23-year-old university student who stabbed his housemate more than 30 times in a masked attack has admitted murder after initially denying the charge at Bristol Crown Court. Zack Coughlan killed Jamie Collins, 21, in an alleyway near their home in Filton on 8 April, before leaving his body for hours and later contacting police.

Coughlan had admitted killing Collins but claimed during the trial that he feared his housemate would kill him. The murder trial was already under way when he changed his plea to guilty following a legal ruling by the judge on Tuesday.

Victim Was Weeks From Graduation

Collins and Coughlan were both final-year robotics students at the University of the West of England and shared a house owned by Coughlan.

In a statement, Collins’ family described him as a sensitive and caring person who had been looking forward to completing his degree and returning to his home in Swansea within weeks.

They said his passion for equality and commitment to inclusivity had made a lasting impression on those who knew him. His family also expressed confidence that he was heading towards a successful future in engineering and robotics.

Following the verdict, the family said his death had affected them in a profound and lasting way. They described the repeated need to explain what had happened as an ongoing source of pain.

Coughlan Claimed He Feared Collins

During the trial, Coughlan told jurors that he had feared Collins and claimed he was barely able to think when he waited for his housemate to return from university.

He alleged that Collins’ political views had become more extreme and that his housemate had spoken about killing him. However, Detective Chief Inspector Lucy Edgeworth said the motive for the murder remained unclear.

Investigators established that the pair had disagreed over rent and held different political views, but Edgeworth said neither issue explained why Coughlan carried out the killing.

She described the attack as a pre-planned, cold-blooded execution, saying the available evidence pointed to careful preparation.

Evidence Revealed Attempts to Conceal Crime

After the stabbing, Coughlan left Collins in the alleyway and cycled away on his housemate’s bicycle, according to evidence presented during the trial.

He later abandoned the bicycle at a nearby retail park, bought a change of clothes and disposed of his bloodstained clothing in a pond. The clothes had reportedly been placed in carrier bags weighed down with bricks.

After returning home, Coughlan ate pizza and played video games. He did not call emergency services for several hours, claiming he needed to disconnect from what had happened.

Investigators also recovered CCTV footage from cameras Coughlan had installed himself. The footage captured the attack and what appeared to be his attempt to stage the discovery of Collins’ body. Jurors heard that he later watched the recording five times.

Forensic Evidence Linked Defendant

Edgeworth said forensic evidence played a significant role in the investigation. Coughlan’s blood was found on the recovered bicycle, which investigators believed was consistent with him injuring himself during the attack.

Police also recovered clothing from the pond, with forensic findings linking the items to the crime.

The detective highlighted inconsistencies in Coughlan’s account, including his claim that he injured his hands while climbing a tree after the killing. She said investigators had examined the evidence carefully to establish what happened.

Edgeworth said Coughlan had attempted to protect himself rather than seek medical assistance for Collins, and had continued to lie to police and people he knew after the killing.

Judge Rules on Defence Argument

Coughlan changed his plea after Judge Justice Linden ruled that his partial defence of manslaughter by reason of loss of control could not be left for the jury to consider in deciding the murder charge.

The judge informed jurors that Coughlan had admitted the indictment and thanked them for their service during the proceedings.

The guilty plea means Coughlan will be sentenced for murder. Sentencing is scheduled for Wednesday.

Family Condemns Pretence of Helping Victim

In their statement, Collins’ family said they were sickened by what they described as Coughlan pretending to help Jamie despite being responsible for his death.

They said the sudden and brutal loss had caused lasting distress and forced them to repeatedly recount the circumstances surrounding his killing.

The case has left Collins’ family mourning a young man who was close to completing his university studies, while the court prepares to determine the sentence for his murder.