Student denies murdering his housemate in Bristol

A student has denied murdering his housemate, a young man from Swansea, in Bristol.

Zack Coughlan, 23, appeared before the city’s crown court charged with murdering Jamie Collins, 21, on April 8.

Emergency services were called to a garden at the rear of the property where they lived in a house share in Cleve Road, Filton, South Gloucestershire, in the early hours of April 9.

Mr Collins, from Swansea, south Wales, who studied robotics at the University of the West of England, was found with significant injuries and pronounced dead at the scene.

On Friday, Coughlan was asked to enter a plea to the charge that he murdered Mr Collins and he replied “not guilty”.

Judge Julian Lambert told the court: “A trial date has previously been identified for this, which is October 12.”

The court heard the trial is expected to last between two to three weeks.

Adam Vaitilingam KC appeared for the prosecution, while Edd Hetherington represented Coughlan.

Coughlan was remanded into custody ahead of his next appearance at court on September 25.

The family of Mr Collins previously paid tribute to him in a statement released through Avon and Somerset Police.

“Our Jamie was a bright, kind, gentle and unassuming young man with his whole life ahead of him,” they said.

“He was looking forward to finishing his uni journey and planning to come home to us in Swansea in just a few weeks’ time.

“We know he was heading for a hugely successful future following his engineering and robotics degree.”

The University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) also described being “deeply shocked” by his death.

“As well as studying robotics, Jamie was also an active member of student societies at UWE Bristol,” a spokesperson said.

“The university will support students who studied with Jamie and staff directly affected by his death.”