NEARLY £2,000 has been raised just hours after a privileged Tory student was exposed burning cash in front of a homeless person in Cambridge.

Ronald Coyne, a 20-year-old law student at Pembroke College, was in white tie as he was filmed setting fire to a £20 note and taunting a rough-sleeper in the city centre in the early hours of the morning.

His actions caused outrage and online donations for a Cambridge night shelter have rocketed in response.

The Just Giving page (mstar.link/RonaldCoyne) for Jimmy’s Homeless Shelter was set up so “some good could come from this wicked and despicable act.”

Mr Coyne has since been fired from his position as the communications and publicity officer for the Cambridge University Conservative Association (Cuca), which also kicked him out of the group.

Cuca chair Joe Mathieson said there was “absolutely no place for people who behave like this in our association,”Cambridge City executive councillor for housing Kevin Price branded Mr Coyne’s behaviour “abhorrent.”

He said: “It shows a complete lack of respect and humanity for a person without a roof over their head by someone in a privileged position living in college. 

“I hope that his own college will discipline him, but even more, I hope that he takes the time to reflect on his own actions and does something to redress the wrong he did.”

Mr Price applauded the people of Cambridge who, in contrast to the privileged student, have donated over £5,000 to Cambridge Street Aid which offers grants to homeless people.

Cambridge Unite Community branch secretary James Youd told the Star: “The act of the Tory student was pure hate.

“The fact that such disgusting people are being haboured by the Cambridge University Conservative Association should be a wake-up call to the university and colleges.

“Cambridge has several times just in the past few weeks united to show our disgust at similar hatred with 500 turning up for a rally against Trump’s travel ban.

“Meanwhile we continue to campaign against the vicious Tory government which has presided over such large instances of homelessness and work as a community to make sure everyone has a home.”

A spokesman for Cambridge University said: “We expect our students to treat others with respect, courtesy and consideration at all times.”

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