Student who murdered uni housemate jailed for life
Zack Coughlan must serve a minimum of 28 years after pleading guilty to stabbing Jamie Collins 30 times.
Quick Look
University student Zack Coughlan, 23, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 28 years for murdering his housemate Jamie Collins, 21, in Bristol after changing his plea to guilty.
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Why It Matters
Zack Coughlan and Jamie Collins were final-year students at the University of the West of England.
A student has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 28 years for murdering his university housemate after lying in wait and stabbing him 30 times.
Zack Coughlan, 23, dressed in black and wore a mask to ambush Jamie Collins, 21, in the garden of their home near Bristol on 8 April.
Coughlan left his victim dying in an alleyway as he cycled away to dispose of bloodstained evidence. He called police eight hours later.
Coughlan had denied murder and a trial was under way at Bristol Crown Court but he changed his plea to guilty on Tuesday.
Both men were final-year University of the West of England students.
During sentencing, Judge Justice Linden told Coughlan: "Collins was an idealist who took an interest in the problems of the world and society.
"It comes with great shock that anyone chose to do what you chose to do to him.
"I'm sure you were planning to kill Collins and had been for some time.
"Your guilty plea came at a point in the trial when your conviction was inevitable."
Open Questions
- What was the motive behind the attack?
