A university student allegedly lay in wait for his housemate before stabbing him 30 times, a murder trial at Bristol Crown Court has heard. Zack Coughlan, 23, is accused of ambushing Jamie Collins, 21, in the garden of their home near the University of West England in Bristol.
The court was told that Coughlan, dressed in black with a mask and gloves, attacked Collins shortly before 6pm on 8 April after he returned from campus. Both men were final year robotics students at the university and lived together in a house owned by Coughlan.
Adam Vaitilingam KC, prosecuting, stated that Coughlan allegedly cycled away on Collins's bike, dumped it, bought new clothes, and disposed of his bloodstained clothing. He then returned home, put a pizza in the oven, and played online games before calling 999 at about 2am, claiming he had found Collins's body.
CCTV footage from the house, which Coughlan showed to officers, captured the attack. While Coughlan initially had injuries he attributed to falling, he now accepts he killed Collins but denies murder, stating he "lost his self-control" during the attack.
The jury heard there had been previous disagreements between the pair regarding rent, but friends were not aware of any significant ongoing problems. The trial continues.