# University robotics student admits murder after stabbing housemate 30 times

> University robotics student pleads guilty to murdering housemate in cold-blooded attack over rent dispute.
- Title: University robotics student admits murder after stabbing…
- Summary: University robotics student pleads guilty to murdering housemate in cold-blooded attack over rent dispute. Zack Coughlan, 23, admitted murder after stabbing…
- Keywords: zack coughlan, jamie collins, university robotics student, murder, rent dispute, british crown court, filton south gloucestershire, stabbing, cold-blooded execution, housemate, news, entertainment
- Source: Dailymail — https://dailymail.com/news/article-16223797/University-student-stabbed-housemate-row-rent-murder.html?ito=1490&ns_campaign=1490&ns_mchannel=rss
- Published: 2026-10-20T15:24:21+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: zack coughlan, jamie collins, university robotics student, murder, rent dispute, british crown court, filton south gloucestershire, stabbing, cold-blooded execution, housemate, news, entertainment
## Zack Coughlan pleads guilty
Zack Coughlan, 23, admitted murder after stabbing Jamie Collins, 21, 30 times in a planned attack over rent dispute.
## Attack details
Coughlan dressed in black with mask and gloves ambushed Collins in their Filton, South Gloucestershire home garden.
## Stabbing sequence
Collins was stabbed repeatedly and left dying in the alleyway as Coughlan cycled away on his housemate's bike.
## CCTV evidence
The attack was caught on CCTV installed at their shared home, which Coughlan showed police officers.
## Post-attack actions
Coughlan dumped the bike at a nearby retail park, bought new clothes, and threw bloodstained clothing in a pond.
## Timeline of events
Coughlan returned to their home around 9pm, cooked pizza, and played online games with friends before calling 999 at 2am.
## Coughlan's defense
Coughlan claimed he feared Collins would kill him and had no choice, but evidence showed he lied about his fears.
## Investigation findings
Police found no evidence supporting Coughlan's claim that Collins threatened him twice and made him feel scared for his life.
## Coughlan's injuries
Coughlan had injuries to his hands and claimed he fell while climbing trees, but this was inconsistent with his story.
## Family statement
Collins' family described him as a bright, kind, gentle young man with his whole life ahead of him.
## Coughlan's background
Coughlan, half Danish, grew up in Cork, Ireland, before moving to Bristol to study robotics at 19.
## Legal outcome
Coughlan changed his plea to guilty and will be sentenced on Wednesday morning, 20 October 2026.
## Key takeaway

Zack Coughlan, 23, admitted murder after stabbing Jamie Collins, 21, 30 times in a planned attack over rent dispute.