A homeless man has told of his “disgust” after a Cambridge University student burned a £20 note in front of him in the street.
More than 3,000 people have signed a petition calling for him to be kicked out of the university following the cruel stunt.
Rough sleeper Ryan Davies told the Cambridge News on Friday that he was the man who was taunted by Mr Coyne in Bridge Street on February 2 after he had been asking passers-by for spare change.
He told the newspaper that the teenager set fire to the note and said: “How’s that for change, I’ve changed it into flames.”
Mr Davies, who has been homeless for three months, said: “He says let’s see what I’ve got and pulls out a £20 note and went to pass it to me.
“I couldn’t believe my luck, know what I mean. But then he pulled it back and lit it, burnt it and he says 'How's that for change, I’ve changed it into flames’.”
“It was absolutely disgusting. It was horrible. Just plain nasty.”
The Pembroke College student’s mother called the incident “surprising” and added: “We’re not toffs, he’s not a toff.”
He was expelled from the university’s Conservative Association after footage of the incident was shared on Snapchat.
Mr Coyne, who is believed to be a distant relative of Nicola Sturgeon, was communications officer at the Tory association.
A spokesman for the association said: “There is no room for people who behave like that in our association, any other university association, or frankly our university.
“This disgusting and abhorrent behaviour occurred completely independently of Cuca.”
A university spokesman told the Times: “We expect our students to treat others with respect, courtesy and consideration at all times, and the university takes allegations of unacceptable behaviour very seriously."
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