University robotics student admits killing housemate and leaving body in an alleyway for eight hours before calling 999

A university robotics student has admitted to killing his housemate and leaving his body in an alleyway for eight hours before calling 999.

Zack Coughlan, 23, previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter but denies murdering Jamie Collins, 21, by the garden of their home in Filton, south Gloucestershire, on grounds he feared for his life. 

Coughlan was dressed all in black and wore a mask and gloves to ambush Mr Collins as he returned from UWE Bristol shortly before 6pm on April 8. 

Mr Collins, originally from Swansea, south Wales, allegedly sustained 30 stab wounds in the incident and died from his injuries.

Coughlan allegedly left him to die in an alleyway and cycled away on his housemate's bicycle.  

The pair were said to have rowed over the amount of rent Coughlan was charging Mr Collins, who was also a robotics student. 

Mr Collins allegedly threatened to kill Coughlan because the defendant was charging rent.  

Coughlan told the court he was 'terrified' by Mr Collins who said he was 'looking forward to killing [Coughlan]'. 

On Friday, Coughlan began giving evidence at his trial at Bristol Crown Court and told the jury he accepted being the figure dressed in black that was captured killing Mr Collins on CCTV footage.

Dan Pawson-Pounds KC, representing Coughlan, asked: 'Do you accept that you killed Jamie Collins?'

Coughlan replied: 'Yes.'

Mr Pawson-Pounds asked: 'Do you accept that you left his body by the rear gate for just under eight and a half hours before calling the emergency services?'

Coughlan said: 'Yes.'

He admitted lying to police and friends about what had happened to Mr Collins.

When asked about how he felt about that now, Coughlan replied: 'Horrible.'

But he denied murder on the grounds that he acted out of fear for his own life.  

Mr Collins allegedly told Coughlan that locking his bedroom door 'wasn't going to help' after threatening the defendant with a knife.  

Coughlan later ambushed Mr Collins, stabbing him 30 times and leaving him for dead.  

Coughlan, who is half Danish and grew up in Cork, Ireland, moved to Bristol to study robotics at the age of 19. 

He described suffering violence at the hands of his father while growing up and said his mother, who worked for Apple, was often away working.

Coughlan said he was a 'high achiever' and was expecting to graduate university with a first-class degree but became 'stressed and overwhelmed' in the weeks leading up to Mr Collins's death. 

In July 2024, his mother lent him £300,000 to purchase a three-bedroom house in Cleve Road, Filton, which he lived in with two fellow robotics students – including Mr Collins.

Initially, Coughlan charged his housemates £650 rent plus bills per month before reducing this to £600 and later to £500, he said.

He told the court this money was spent on purchasing white goods for the property and dealing with issues relating to mould and rats.

Coughlan insisted that a 3D printer he owned was a gift from his family and that he had used savings to fund an expensive jacket but his housemates were not aware of this. 

In January, he spoke to Mr Collins after noticing he was becoming 'hostile' towards him, the defendant said.

'I asked him what was wrong,' Coughlan said. 'He was so angry.

'He said it was disgusting to charge your friends rent. I was shocked, to be honest, he hadn't told me anything about this before.

'He spoke of exploitation. That was never my intention at all. I eventually decided to drop the rent entirely.'

He added: 'I cared about my friends. I wanted to help them.'

Coughlan said Mr Collins was still 'reluctant' to pay bills, despite the rent being removed.

Coughlan told the jury that Mr Collins would talk about landlords and multinational corporations being to blame for social inequality.

Coughlan said: 'He didn't feel that rent should be charged and there was a lot of inequality and that was a landlord's fault.

'I thought he was my friend so I didn't want to believe that he meant any harm.' 

'I had thought I should suggest that maybe it is better we didn't live together because of how upset he was,' Coughlan told the court.

'I wish I had.

'I think he had a kitchen knife in his hand and he said he looked forward to killing me.

'He said what I had done was disgusting and that I was scum and he was looking forward to killing people like me - I was so frightened.'

'I went to my room,' he told the court, in tears. 'I hid under the covers and I locked my door,' Coughlan added. 

The court previously heard that Mr Collins planned to move out of the house at the end of his studies, in June, and return to Swansea.

On April 8, Coughlan waited in an alleyway for 20 minutes before Mr Collins returned from university. He then allegedly stabbed him 30 times. 

Footage – captured on one of three security cameras installed at the house – of the incident has been played to the jury at Bristol Crown Court.

Following the killing, Coughlan disposed of his blood-stained clothing in a pond, the court has been told.

He called police shortly after 2am on April 9, reporting that his friend had been stabbed.

Their other flatmate, Charlie Latimer, previously told the court that the three friends were studying the same robotics course and spent time together shopping, cooking for each other, and having board game and movie nights as well as playing video games. 

He said Mr Collins was 'very Left-wing but not really the type to argue with someone over that'.

During cross-examination by Dan Pawson-Pounds KC, representing Coughlan, Mr Latimer said that Mr Collins could 'possibly' be described as having communist views.

He agreed that Mr Collins criticised large multi-national corporations and individuals with high levels of wealth, as well as landlords.

In October or November last year, Mr Collins and Coughlan had a 'slight' disagreement over rent, Mr Latimer said.

Coughlan, of Cleve Road, Filton, South Gloucestershire, denies murder.

The trial continues.