{"id":15156,"date":"2026-04-15T19:06:20","date_gmt":"2026-04-15T19:06:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/15156\/"},"modified":"2026-04-15T19:06:20","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T19:06:20","slug":"family-of-filton-murder-victim-pay-tribute-to-kind-and-gentle-young-man","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/15156\/","title":{"rendered":"Family of Filton &#8216;murder&#8217; victim pay tribute to &#8216;kind and gentle young man&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>He was due to return home within weeks as he neared the end of his studies<\/p>\n<p>Abigail Neep South West Regional News Reporter<\/p>\n<p>16:23, 15 Apr 2026<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Jamie Collins\" loading=\"eager\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0_Jamie-Collins-death.jpg\" \/><\/p>\n<p aria-label=\"Photo issued by Avon and Somerset Police of Jamie Collins\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Photo issued by Avon and Somerset Police of Jamie Collins(Image: PA)<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The devastated family of \u201ckind, gentle and unassuming\u201d Bristol student Jamie Collins have spoken out after his alleged murder.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Police have now confirmed that the 21-year-old\u2019s family home was in Swansea, but he was living in a house share in <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bristolpost.co.uk\/all-about\/filton\" rel=\"follow nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"\">Filton<\/a> while studying at the University of the West of England.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Emergency services were called to the property on Cleve Road in the early hours of Thursday, April 9, where <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bristolpost.co.uk\/news\/bristol-news\/filton-murder-latest-man-died-10912814\" rel=\"follow nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_self\">he was found with a number of stab wounds in a garden.<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">His housemate, 23-year-old UWE student Zack Coughlan, <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bristolpost.co.uk\/news\/bristol-news\/trial-date-set-bristol-uwe-10917073\" rel=\"follow nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_self\">faces trial in October after he was charged with Jamie&#8217;s murder.<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The Collins family said Jamie was just weeks away from heading home to Swansea as he reached the end of his university studies.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">In a joint statement shared via police, they described their pain as &#8220;excruciating&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">They said: \u201cWords cannot describe how we are feeling as a family right now. Our Jamie was a bright, kind, gentle and unassuming young man with his whole life ahead of him.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;He was looking forward to finishing his uni journey and planning to come home to us in Swansea in just a few weeks&#8217; time.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;We know he was heading for a hugely successful future following his engineering and robotics degree.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The family, who are being supported by <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bristolpost.co.uk\/all-about\/avon-and-somerset-constabulary\" rel=\"follow nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_self\">Avon and Somerset Police<\/a>, added: &#8220;The outpouring of love and support from Jamie&#8217;s friends and ours has been completely overwhelming and we would like to thank everyone for their kind messages while we continue to grieve privately.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">They have asked for their privacy to be respected as they come to terms with the devastating loss.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Jamie previously worked at The Crofty Inn in Gower, Swansea. Shocked staff at the pub have also shared a tribute, describing him as a \u201ckind soul\u201d and \u201chard worker\u201d,<a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walesonline.co.uk\/news\/wales-news\/jamie-collins-court-alleged-murder-33772987\" rel=\"follow nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_self\"> reports WalesOnline.<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">His former colleagues at the pub said: \u201cIt is with deep sadness that we share the heart-breaking news of the loss of a much loved member of our team.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;Jamie worked with us back last year before moving to Bristol, he had a kind soul and was a hard worker and quickly won over the hearts of the staff and locals instantly becoming a part of the Crofty family.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and everyone who had the privilege of knowing him during this incredibly difficult time. With the severity of the incident, it\u2019s been a devastating shock to everyone.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;We kindly ask for your patience and understanding with our staff over the coming weeks, as we support one another and come to terms with this tragic loss.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;Thank you for your compassion and for keeping him in your thoughts. Rest in peace, Jamie. You will be deeply missed.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">A spokesperson for the University of the West of England <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bristolpost.co.uk\/news\/bristol-news\/bristol-uwe-deeply-shocked-after-10915906\" rel=\"follow nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_self\">said yesterday<\/a>: \u201cThe university is deeply shocked by the news of our student Jamie\u2019s death in such distressing circumstances.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cOur thoughts are with Jamie\u2019s family at this extremely sad time.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cAs well as studying robotics, Jamie was also an active member of student societies at UWE Bristol.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cThe university will support students who studied with Jamie and staff directly affected by his death.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cWe have been liaising closely with the police to support their investigation.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"He was due to return home within weeks as he neared the end of his studies Abigail Neep&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":15157,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[5057,5,6],"class_list":{"0":"post-15156","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-uk","8":"tag-filton","9":"tag-uk","10":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@UnitedKingdom\/116410291578507203","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15156","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15156"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15156\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15157"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15156"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15156"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15156"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}