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Cambridge Uni Students Burn Money in Front of Homeless Person

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Reply 40

Doones

Original post by nulli tertius

I thought he had volunteered in a shop along with Morningside ladies with Jean Brodie accents

Oh, the horror. Poor lad, I'm not surprised that experience has scarred him so badly.

Reply 41

username2053059

I would just love to punch this guy straight in his smug face.

Reply 42

cambio wechsel

Original post by Wōden

Chinless tosser

He's presumably been called 'Tosser Coyne' his whole life. He anyway would have been at my school.

A spokesman for CUCA has confirmed that the organisation as utterly appalled at Coyne's burning a portrait of Adam Smith.

Reply 43

Fullofsurprises

Original post by lopterton

As far as I am aware, no British "quality" newspaper has yet covered this story. Why not? It has only been the tabloids and the local Cambridge press.

It's in the Mail.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4208432/Cambridge-student-sets-fire-20-note-homeless-person.html

Surely that's a 'quality' newspaper?

Reply 44

Fullofsurprises

Original post by cambio wechsel

A spokesman for CUCA has confirmed that the organisation as utterly appalled at Coyne's burning a portrait of Adam Smith.

Lol, it's probably one of their initiation rites.

Reply 45

Jeremy T

Original post by limetang

What action can they take? It wasn't a crime

Wrong. Do you seriously think it is lawful to abuse other people in the street?

He could get six months in jail. Have a look at Section 4a of the Public Order Act 1986:

"A person is guilty of an offence if, with intent to cause a person harassment, alarm or distress, he (...) uses threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour, or disorderly behaviour (...) thereby causing that or another person harassment, alarm or distress."

"A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale or both."

If they do not wish to condone this man's behaviour, Pembroke College and Cambridge University should notify the police. There is prima facie evidence suggesting he committed a crime, and for that reason the police should investigate.

A court could also issue an injunction against him under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. That Acr defined "anti-social behaviour" as "conduct that has caused, or is likely to cause, harassment, alarm or distress to any person".

Original post by TimmonaPortella

I'm not going to get into discussions about 'class hatred'.

That's OK, but does anyone think he had some other inspiration than that?

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 46

cambio wechsel

Original post by Jeremy T

Original post by TimmonaPortella

I'm not going to get into discussions about 'class hatred'.

That's OK, but does anyone think he had some other inspiration than that?

6 pints of Adnam's would be my guess. He's likely more silly than bad and class hatred surely isn't what prompts drunken proles to pee on rough sleepers up and down the country every late Friday night.

Reply 47

Jeremy T

Original post by cambio wechsel

Being drunk and being silly are no defence when someone is accused of abusive behaviour that has caused distress to another person. Nor is the fact that other people also commit crimes.

I disagree with your second statement. The working class is not the underclass. Rough sleepers do not tend to pee on each other. They are viewed as being in a different class from those who can afford, for example, to get drunk in a pub.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 48

99_Problems

What's sad is he'll probably be our PM in the future.

Reply 49

Fullofsurprises

Original post by 99_Problems

What's sad is he'll probably be our PM in the future.

Then he could set fire to money in front of the whole country.

Reply 50

Fullofsurprises

I kind of like this story overall - it reveals much about the Young Tory intellectual of today and their contemptuous attitudes towards those less lucky than themselves.

Reply 51

Parliament

Original post by 999tigger

That would seem appropriate imo. Its not a nothing, it shows quite a nasty streak and it brings much negative publicity to the uni. It would be weak if they left it at just a sorry. I didnt actually read the full DM article so you are ahead of me.

I hope college send him down, but it's probably not going to happen. College don't like doing it, it's a very protracted process, and we sent someone down last year too (for something far more serious than this). I can't see it happening :frown:

Original post by Fullofsurprises

Lol, it's probably one of their initiation rites.

You joke, but allegedly one of the rites for joining the Bullingdon Club (Oxford) is burning a £50 note in front of a homeless person.

Original post by k_popper

Cambridge getting their own Bullingdon club?

It's called the Pitt Club!

Original post by Maria ZT

It's not a smear. He was at the time of the action the CUCA's Communications and Publicity officer. In other words, he was an officer, a leading member, already in his first year. He is patently obviously a raving Tory.

He is. He's never been popular around college - he turned up to fresher's week wearing a MAGA cap and proceeded to inform everyone about how great Trump is. Not a winning move at a liberal college at a liberal university. He should've applied to Oxford

Reply 52

Jeremy T

Some recent press articles:

● "HUNDREDS of people have called for a Cambridge student to be booted from the prestigious university after he was filmed burning a £20 note in front of a homeless man."

● "Petition launched to 'Remove Ronald Coyne from Cambridge University' after setting light to £20 note in front of homeless man."

● "Petition launched to expel student from Cambridge University after he burned £20 note in front of homeless man"

The master of Pembroke is Chris Smith, former Labour cabinet minister. (He took over from Richard Dearlove, former head of MI6.)

Quite aside from the issue of whether Pembroke or the University should expel him, the law fellows at Pembroke will be fully aware that the alleged act constitutes an offence and that the police should be called in.

It's worth saying that the majority of Cambridge students are NOT like Ronald Coyne and find his act utterly disgusting. I am quite sure that many will be signing the petition.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 53

username402722

If it is not a crime then it should be

Reply 54

Mimikyu

This makes me feel ill.

I don't care what happens to him. He doesn't deserve the attention that everyone is giving him. Even if it is negative attention.

Is anyone looking after the victim in this crime? As well as signing a petition students at Cambridge could be working with homeless people and organising fundraisers so that man can have access to food, a warm shelter and the opportunity of training/a job.

Why not take this despicable act and use it to start something good?

Reply 55

Jeremy T

Original post by barnetlad

If it is not a crime then it should be

It is a crime.

Reply 56

Doones

Original post by Mimikyu

As well as signing a petition students at Cambridge could be working with homeless people and organising fundraisers so that man can have access to food, a warm shelter and the opportunity of training/a job.

Why not take this despicable act and use it to start something good?

They do.
http://www.cusu.co.uk/groups/cambridge-homeless-outreach-program-chop

And specifically for Pembroke College they have this:
https://pembrokehouse.org.uk

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 57

Jeremy T

Original post by Mimikyu

Is anyone looking after the victim in this crime? As well as signing a petition students at Cambridge could be working with homeless people and organising fundraisers so that man can have access to food, a warm shelter and the opportunity of training/a job.

Why not take this despicable act and use it to start something good?

I agree totally, and there are many homeless people in Cambridge. But the more publicity this gets, and the more revulsion, and the more signatures on the petition including by Cambridge students and fellows, and if Coyne does get expelled, prosecuted and jailed, then there will be some momentum which hopefully will lead to more volunteering in Cambridge and perhaps also improve the atmosphere in the country as a whole. Homelessness is a disgrace in a civilised society.

Those in senior positions, or who are progressing towards them, who have the attitude that people less fortunate than themselves are scum of the earth, suitable only for goading and having contempt thrown at them, should be removed from those positions or not allowed to progress towards them.

That's a statement that a lot of people would agree with.

There have been other cases e.g. of pupils at private schools arranging a mock "hunt" of "chavs", and so on. Many many cases. I'm hoping this case will get MAXIMUM publicity, because it really says a LOT about what Britain is like, what many at the privately-educated TOP of Britain are like.