20k call for expulsion of Tory student who taunted homeless man

A petition calling for a student to be kicked out of university for burning a £20 note in front of a homeless man has reached 20,000 signatures.

Ronald Coyne Pic from Cambridge University Conservative Association

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Ronald Coyne, a law student at the University of Cambridge, was caught on camera setting fire to the banknote while dressed in tails and a white bow-tie in front of rough sleeper Ryan Davies in the early hours of the morning on February 2.

Coyne, 18, was already booted out of the Cambridge University Conservative Association, where he was communications officer, last week for abusing Mr Davies, 31.

But now, a campaign to have him removed from the university altogether has reached more than 20,000 signatures since being launched on Thursday.

One comment on the Change.org petition described Mr Coyne’s behaviour as “Utterly disgusting,” and suggested the teenager should “Not only be removed from the University, but be made to work voluntarily for 200 hours in a homeless shelter.”

Another called the incident a “disgusting act of vanity,” while Mr Coyne was also described as “lacking decent human compassion.”

It was revealed last week that Mr Coyne had bragged to fellow students that he was the nephew of First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, however the Scottish government strongly denied the claim, stating “there are six or seven degrees between them.”

A government spokesperson said:

“The individual is not a direct relative of the First Minister or her husband, It’s as simple as that.”

“She has no recollection of ever meeting him. Somewhere along the line his dad is the brother of the ex-husband of the sister of the First Minster’s husband.

“They are not directly related, he might go around saying he is her nephew but he’s not.”