A university student accused of murdering his housemate later spoke of arranging a memorial for him, a court has heard. Zack Coughlan, 23, has pleaded guilty to manslaughter but denies murdering Jamie Collins, 21, from Swansea, in the garden of their home in Filton, south Gloucestershire.
Court hears of conversation with friend
Bristol Crown Court previously heard how Coughlan dressed all in black and wore a mask and gloves to ambush Mr Collins as the robotics student returned from UWE Bristol shortly before 6pm on April 8. Mr Collins sustained 30 stab wounds in the incident and died from his injuries. Jurors have been told that Coughlan admits responsibility for the attack but says he had lost his self-control at the time.
Coughlan, who was initially treated as a witness by police, spoke to mutual friend Fraser Stone on April 9 before meeting him at their university campus the following day. "He told me that something bad had happened to Jamie," Mr Stone told jurors. Mr Stone said Coughlan reminded him of an incident in which the defendant claimed to have confronted a group of men at the back of his property, who he alleged had been carrying knives.
Memorial remarks and background
"I made the assumption that that was related to the murder," Mr Stone said. "It seemed to me he was implying it was related to people who had done the break in." Adam Vaitilingam KC, prosecuting, asked Mr Stone whether Coughlan had spoken about a memorial for Mr Collins, who was known to friends as Jam. "He did mention he wanted to put on a memorial for Jam," Mr Stone replied.
The court has previously heard there had been disagreement about the amount of rent Mr Collins paid Coughlan, who owned the house where they lived. Mr Stone said Mr Collins was also unhappy about the living conditions at the property and found Coughlan "quite controlling". He planned to move out of the house at the end of his studies in June and return to Swansea, Mr Stone added. Following the disagreement about rent, Coughlan decided that Mr Collins and housemate Charlie Latimer would only contribute towards household bills from January.
Attack and aftermath
The court previously heard Coughlan waited in an alleyway for 20 minutes before Mr Collins returned from university, then fatally attacked him. Footage captured on a motion-activated camera installed at the house has been played to the jury at Bristol Crown Court. Following the killing, Coughlan disposed of his blood-stained clothing in a pond, the court has been told. He called police shortly after 2am on April 9, reporting that his friend had been stabbed.
Coughlan, of Cleve Road, Filton, denies murder. The trial continues.
