Student admits killing housemate but denies murder charge

Summarised from 2 outlets · 5 reports · Updated 16 Oct, 20:44 · Archive

Zack Coughlan admits stabbing his housemate Jamie Collins 30 times but denies murder, saying he feared for his life.

Zack Coughlan, 23, has admitted responsibility for stabbing his housemate Jamie Collins, 21, to death at their home in Filton, south Gloucestershire on 8 April. He pleaded guilty to manslaughter but denies murder. Collins, originally from Swansea and a final-year robotics student at the University of the West of England, was ambushed and stabbed 30 times in the garden shortly before 6pm as he returned from university. Coughlan, who owned the house and was also a robotics student, left Collins's body in the garden for over eight and a half hours before calling police at 2am.

Coughlan told Bristol Crown Court that he felt "horrible" about killing Collins and lying to police about what happened. He admitted being the figure captured on CCTV footage dressed in black and wearing a mask and gloves during the attack. Coughlan said he had grown stressed and overwhelmed in the weeks before the killing.

Coughlan's defence is that he feared for his life. He told the jury that Collins had threatened to kill him and insisted he meant it, even saying that Coughlan locking his bedroom door would not help. Coughlan said tension had grown between them, particularly over the issue of rent. After returning home following the attack, Coughlan cooked a pizza and played online games with friends before calling emergency services. A friend who played video games with him three hours after the alleged killing said Coughlan's behaviour appeared "normal".

How it is being reported

• Murder accused says housemate 'threatened to kill him'Zack Coughlan says he feels "horrible" for killing Jamie Collins but was in fear for his own life.BBC Bristol · 16 Oct, 14:23
• Bristol student tells court he killed housemate and left his body in alleywayThe court heard how Zach Coughlan dressed in black to ambush Jamie CollinsBristolLive · 16 Oct, 13:56
• Student on trial searched 'what does corpse look like'Zack Coughlan is charged with murdering housemate Jamie Collins in the garden of their Filton home.BBC Bristol · 15 Oct, 17:02
• Bristol student who killed housemate spoke of putting on a memorial for him, court toldJamie Collins was allegedly stabbed 30 times by his housemate Zack CoughlanBristolLive · 15 Oct, 14:50
• Murder accused appeared ‘incredibly shocked’ by housemate's death, court toldZach Coughlan has admitted manslaughter but denies murdering Jamie CollinsBristolLive · 14 Oct, 15:21

In this story: Zack Coughlan · Jamie Collins · Filton · Bristol Crown Court · University of the West of England · Swansea

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem