A university student accused of murdering his housemate searched online for information about corpses, self-defence and revenge, a murder trial has heard.

Zack Coughlan, 23, is accused of murdering Jamie Collins, 21, a fellow robotics student at the University of the West of England (UWE), at their shared home in Filton, near Bristol, on 8 April.

Bristol Crown Court heard that Jamie was stabbed approximately 30 times in the garden of the property.

Prosecutors have described the attack as a “carefully planned and cold-blooded execution”.

Coughlan admits carrying out the fatal attack but denies murder, claiming he lost self-control because he feared for his life.

Internet searches revealed to jury

Jurors were told that searches recovered from Coughlan’s mobile phone included:

• “What does corpse look like”
• “Defending yourself with lethal force against an acid attack lawful”
• “Difference between revenge and vengeance”

The court heard that the times at which the searches were made remain unknown.

CCTV footage and behaviour after attack

CCTV footage previously shown to the jury captured Coughlan dressed in black and wearing a mask as he allegedly ambushed Jamie in the garden.

He was subsequently seen cycling away, allegedly to dispose of bloodstained evidence.

After returning home, Coughlan cooked a pizza and played online video games with friends before contacting police at approximately 2am, around six hours after the attack.

Alex Henderson, who played video games with Coughlan roughly three hours after Jamie’s death, told the court that his friend’s behaviour appeared normal.

He said nothing about Coughlan’s behaviour suggested anything was wrong.

Housemate describes discovering aftermath

The jury also heard a police interview with Charlie Latimer, who shared the property with both students.

Latimer described waking at approximately 2am and going downstairs, where he saw police outside the back door and Jamie’s body on the floor.

He said Coughlan appeared “incredibly shocked”.

Latimer also revealed that the two students had previously experienced a minor disagreement over rent.

Jamie had questioned whether they were paying too much to live in a property owned by their friend.

Their monthly rent had reportedly been reduced from £650 to £500 before being removed altogether. During the three months leading up to Jamie’s death, the housemates contributed only towards household bills.

Friend discusses plans for memorial

Another friend, Fraser Stone, told jurors he met Coughlan at university two days after the incident.

Coughlan told him something bad had happened to Jamie and expressed an interest in organising a memorial service.

Stone also recalled Coughlan mentioning an earlier confrontation with a group of men who he claimed had been carrying knives near the back of his property.

Stone said he assumed the incident was connected to Jamie’s death.

Coughlan denies murder. The trial continues at Bristol Crown Court.