Understand
UWE student lay in wait before stabbing housemate 30 times, court hears
Overview
A Bristol trial has heard how University of the West of England student Zack Coughlan, 23, ambushed and stabbed his housemate Jamie Collins, 21, 30 times in a planned attack at their home in Filton. Coughlan accepts killing Collins but denies murder, while prosecutors argue the attack was a cold-blooded execution followed by attempts to dispose of evidence before calling the police.
Key points
- Zack Coughlan, 23, is on trial at Bristol Crown Court accused of murdering his housemate Jamie Collins, 21.
- The prosecution alleges Coughlan wore a mask and dark clothing to ambush Collins in the garden of their Filton home on 8 April.
- Collins was stabbed 30 times after returning home from studying robotics at the University of the West of England.
- After the attack, Coughlan allegedly cycled away on the victim's bike, disposed of bloodstained clothing, cooked a pizza, and played online games before calling 999 hours later.
- Coughlan initially claimed to be a witness who found the body, but police later found his blood on the victim's bike and matched his phone movements to CCTV footage.
- The defence argues that Coughlan lost control due to things the victim said that made him fear for his life, but the prosecution maintains the attack was fully controlled and planned.