Student Accused of Stabbing Housemate 30 Times Allegedly Cooked Pizza and Played Video Games Before Calling Police Eight Hours Later

Footage showed Zack Coughlan allegedly stabbing his housemate to deathCredit: SWNS

A university student accused of fatally stabbing his housemate in the garden of their shared home allegedly spent hours attempting to conceal what happened before returning to the property, preparing himself a pizza and playing video games. When police finally arrived, he claimed to have discovered his friend dead — and offered an extraordinary explanation for the injuries on his own hands.

Zack Coughlan, 23, is on trial accused of murdering 21-year-old Jamie Collins at their shared home in Filton, near Bristol.

The two men were students studying robotics at the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol).

Coughlan has admitted killing Jamie but denies murder, claiming he lost self-control.

Jurors have now been shown CCTV footage that prosecutors say captures the attack and the defendant’s movements afterwards.

CCTV Allegedly Captures a Deadly Ambush

Jamie was discovered dead in the back garden of their shared homeCredit: SWNS

The court heard that Coughlan had been waiting in the back garden of the property before attacking Jamie.

According to the prosecution, he was wearing a mask when he confronted his housemate in an alleyway.

CCTV images presented to jurors allegedly show Coughlan repeatedly stabbing Jamie.

The prosecution says the 21-year-old suffered approximately 30 stab wounds during the attack.

Footage was also said to show the defendant taking Jamie’s bicycle around 90 seconds after the recording of the assault ended.

Investigators subsequently reconstructed his movements using surveillance footage from nearby locations.

Those recordings have become an important part of the prosecution’s case.

A Bike Ride and a Series of Suspicious Stops

Coughlan was later seen on campus at BristolCredit: SWNS

Following the alleged attack, Coughlan was reportedly seen cycling away from the property.

The court heard that he later walked through the university campus, stopping to examine the contents of a bag.

He was also allegedly captured approaching several bins before disposing of an item of clothing.

Prosecutors say he abandoned Jamie’s bicycle at a nearby retail park.

They further allege that he discarded bloodstained clothing in a pond.

These movements, according to the prosecution, were part of an attempt to conceal evidence connecting him to the killing.

The jury must determine what those actions reveal about his intentions.

Pizza, Video Games and an Eight-Hour Delay

He then went back home and made himself a pizzaCredit: SWNS

Perhaps the most disturbing allegations concern what Coughlan did after returning home.

The court heard that he went back to the property where Jamie’s body remained in the garden.

Rather than immediately contacting emergency services, he allegedly prepared a pizza and played video games online.

Prosecutors say he later returned to the garden before eventually calling 999.

That call was made approximately eight hours after Jamie was killed, jurors were told.

During the emergency call, Coughlan reported that his friend had been stabbed.

He also told the operator that Jamie was not breathing and that his body felt hard.

The prosecution argues that the lengthy delay and his activities during that period are significant to understanding the case.

His Explanation for Injuries on His Hands

When police arrived, officers initially treated Coughlan as a witness.

However, they noticed injuries on his hands.

According to evidence presented in court, Coughlan offered an unusual explanation.

He claimed he had hurt himself while attempting to climb a tree.

He told officers that he had climbed too high, fallen when branches failed to support his weight and injured himself while trying to break the fall.

Coughlan also claimed he had been left dazed and confused by the accident.

The prosecution disputes the implication that his injuries were unrelated to Jamie’s death.

The explanation is among the statements jurors are being asked to consider alongside the CCTV evidence.

Previous Disagreements Between the Housemates

The trial also examined the relationship between Coughlan and Jamie before the fatal incident.

Both were studying robotics at UWE Bristol and living in the same property.

The house was owned by Coughlan.

Jurors heard that the two had previously disagreed over rent payments, including whether Coughlan was charging Jamie too much.

However, the court was told those disagreements had been resolved.

The report does not establish that the earlier dispute was the motive for the killing.

The circumstances that led to the confrontation remain central to the trial.

Defendant Admits Killing but Denies Murder

Although Coughlan admits causing Jamie’s death, he disputes the charge of murder.

His defence is that he lost self-control.

The distinction is crucial because the jury must decide whether the circumstances meet the legal requirements for murder or whether the partial defence of loss of control applies.

Prosecutors have pointed to the alleged ambush, the number of stab wounds and Coughlan’s subsequent behaviour.

The defence’s claim must be assessed against the evidence presented at trial.

No verdict has yet been reached.

A Troubling Case Built Around What Happened Afterwards

The death of Jamie Collins has devastated those who knew the 21-year-old student.

But the trial has also attracted attention because of the defendant’s alleged behaviour after the killing.

From the CCTV footage and bicycle movements to the discarded clothing and delayed emergency call, prosecutors have presented a detailed account of the hours following the attack.

The most unsettling allegation is that Coughlan returned to the same house where Jamie lay dead, cooked himself a pizza and played video games before finally contacting police approximately eight hours later.

His explanation for the injuries on his hands has added another disputed element to the evidence.

For the jury, the central issue is not whether Coughlan killed Jamie, which he has admitted, but whether he is legally guilty of murder.

The trial continues.

Based on The Sun’s October 14, 2026 report of the ongoing trial. Allegations concerning the ambush, concealment of evidence and events after the killing are drawn from court proceedings. Zack Coughlan has admitted killing Jamie Collins but denies murder, and no verdict has been reported.