University student jailed for life after murdering housemate in ambush

A university student has been jailed for life after ambushing and killing his housemate in the garden of their shared home, BBC News reported. Zack Coughlan was sentenced by Judge Justice Linden, who stated that Coughlan had been planning to kill Jamie Collins for some time. [1]

Both men were final-year students at the University of the West of England, BBC News reported. As FTMQ News reported earlier, Coughlan is 23 years old and Collins was 21 years old. Coughlan stabbed Collins more than 30 times in an alleyway near their home on 8 April and left the body outside for eight hours before calling the police. [1][4]

During his trial at Bristol Crown Court, Coughlan claimed he was afraid of Collins and asserted that he had no choice but to wait for his housemate to return from university, BBC News and FTMQ News reported. Judge Linden rejected Coughlan's claims of fear, noting that his guilty plea came only when conviction was inevitable. [1][4]

During sentencing, Judge Linden described Collins as an idealist who cared about global and societal issues, BBC News reported. The judge told Coughlan that it came as a great shock that anyone could commit such an act against him. [1]