Student who stabbed housemate 30 times admits murder

Zack Coughlan, a 23-year-old university student, has confessed to the murder of his housemate, Jamie Collins, 21, by changing his plea from not guilty to guilty. The attack occurred on April 8th in an alleyway near their home in Filton. Coughlan stabbed Collins over 30 times before leaving his body outside for eight hours. He then called the police and disposed of evidence, including Collins' bike.

Coughlan installed a CCTV system, which captured the entire incident, including his staged discovery of Collins' body. Despite his claims that Collins' political views had become extreme and that he had threatened to kill Coughlan, prosecutors found no clear motive for the murder. The attack was pre-planned and cold-blooded, according to Det Ch Insp Lucy Edgeworth.

Inconsistencies in Coughlan's story, such as his claims about injured hands, further undermined his defense. Collins' family described him as gentle and kind, looking forward to finishing his degree at the University of the West of England and returning home to Swansea. Judge Justice Linden ruled that Coughlan's partial manslaughter defense could not be left to the jury, as he had admitted to murder.