In Filton, near Bristol, Zack Coughlan was sentenced to life in prison for the fatal stabbing of his housemate, Jamie Collins. Both men were university students living in the same residence. The incident allegedly stemmed from a dispute over rent.
According to court records, Coughlan stabbed Collins thirty times in the garden of their shared property. The judge described the crime as a 'cold-blooded execution.'
Following the attack in the garden, Coughlan left Collins' body in an alleyway. He then contacted the police.
This minimum term reflects the severity of the offense under the UK justice system.
A student who stabbed a house mate 30 times over rent has pleaded guilty to murder courts heard Zack Coughlan, 23, stabbed Jamie Collins, 21 pic 30 times in a dispute over rent in a house in Bristol He pleaded guilty to murder why on trial for the mirder of Jamie Collins, 21. https://t.co/YOlrhWFz5I
Coughlan initially denied the murder charge but later pleaded guilty. Justice Linden, the presiding judge, noted that the guilty plea occurred at a point in the trial when conviction was inevitable. The judge stated: "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."
Coughlan was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 28 years. This minimum term reflects the severity of the offense under the UK justice system. The case highlights the consequences of domestic violence among university students. The specific details of the alleged rent row are not fully detailed in the public record, but the dispute remains central to the context of the crime.
The incident occurred on 2026-10-21. The 30 stab wounds and the 28-year minimum term serve as stark metrics of the crime and the state's response. The story serves as a reminder of the irreversible consequences of violence in shared living arrangements.