Student Accused of Stabbing Housemate 30 Times Before Cooking Pizza and Gaming as Court Hears Chilling Details

A university student allegedly waited in disguise for his housemate to return home before launching a fatal knife attack — then reportedly disposed of evidence, cooked a pizza and played video games with friends. The disturbing allegations emerged at a murder trial in the UK, where prosecutors say the events that followed the killing reveal a carefully planned crime.

Zack Coughlan, 23, is standing trial at Bristol Crown Court, accused of murdering his housemate Jamie Collins, 21, at their shared home in Filton, South Gloucestershire, England. The court heard that the alleged attack took place shortly before 6 p.m. on April 8, 2026, when Collins returned from the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol), where both men were studying robotics.

According to the prosecution, Coughlan was dressed entirely in black and wearing a mask and gloves when he allegedly waited for Collins to arrive. Prosecutors told the jury that Collins was stabbed 30 times in the garden of their home. The 21-year-old was left critically injured, while the alleged attacker reportedly fled on his housemate’s bicycle.

What happened next became one of the most disturbing elements of the case presented in court. Prosecutors alleged that Coughlan abandoned the bicycle at a nearby retail park, bought a change of clothes and disposed of his bloodstained clothing in a pond. He then reportedly returned to the house at around 9 p.m., put a pizza in the oven and played online games with friends.

It was not until approximately 2 a.m. that police received a call reporting the discovery of Collins’ body — around eight hours after the alleged attack. According to the prosecution, Coughlan told emergency services that he had just returned home, noticed the back gate was open and found his housemate lying in the garden. He also reportedly told officers that he had been out at a park.

Initially, police treated Coughlan as a witness. He showed officers CCTV footage from the property, which had captured the attack. However, investigators allegedly uncovered evidence that changed the course of the inquiry. Prosecutors said Coughlan’s blood was found on Collins’ bicycle, while mobile phone analysis reportedly matched his movements to those seen in CCTV footage. Investigators also heard that he had injuries to his hands, which he allegedly explained to others by claiming he had fallen while climbing trees.

The prosecution argues that these details point to preparation rather than a sudden loss of control. Adam Vaitilingam KC, prosecuting, told the jury that the alleged attacker had waited for Collins while disguised, then attempted to conceal evidence and mislead investigators. The prosecution described the killing as a planned and deliberate act, arguing that the actions before and after the attack were inconsistent with someone acting impulsively.

Yet the case also raises questions about what happened between the two young men before the fatal incident. Both were in their final year at university and shared a home owned by Coughlan. The court heard that they had previously disagreed over rent payments and whether Coughlan was charging too much, but those disputes were reportedly resolved. Friends described their relationship as seemingly ordinary, saying the pair spent time together, socialised and played video games.

Coughlan now accepts that he killed Collins and has admitted manslaughter, but he denies murder. The defense position, as outlined by the prosecution, is that he lost control after allegedly becoming fearful because of things Collins had said in the preceding days and weeks. The prosecution disputes that account, insisting the evidence points to a deliberate attack. The jury will have to consider the evidence and determine whether the murder charge is proven.

For Collins’ family, friends and fellow students, the case centres on the sudden loss of a 21-year-old whose life ended before his future could unfold. The university community has been left confronting the tragedy, while the court proceedings continue to examine how an apparently ordinary shared living arrangement ended in such devastating circumstances.

As the trial progresses, jurors are being asked to piece together CCTV footage, forensic findings, phone data and the events of the hours following Collins’ death. The allegations have drawn attention because of the stark contrast prosecutors describe between the violence of the attack and the seemingly routine activities that allegedly followed. However, the final decision rests with the jury, and Coughlan remains charged with murder as the proceedings continue.

Source: The Sun