Mum blasts her ‘cruel’ Cambridge student son for burning a £20 note in front of a homeless man as it’s revealed he is in Nicola Sturgeon’s extended family
A MUM has blasted her "cruel" Cambridge student son after he burned a £20 note in front of a homeless man.
Ronald Coyne, who is a member of SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon's extended family, has been slammed by his own mum after footage emerged of him attempting to ignite the note.
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Ronald Coyne has been named as the student who burnt money in front of a homeless manCredit: Cambridge University Conservative Association
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The student was filmed trying to burn a £20 note in the video, reportedly circulated on SnapchatCredit: Snapchat
Sandra McLaughlin, 46, said she could not understand her son's behaviour, adding: "We're not toffs. He's not a toff."
Speaking from their family home in Livingston, she told the "I don't recognise that behaviour in my son.
"I don't really know why he's done something so thoughtless and cruel."
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The camera shows a man standing across the road, believed to be Bridge StreetCredit: Snapchat
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The student's behaviour has been criticised by the CUCACredit: SWNS:South West News Service
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The CUCA said that the student has his membership revokedCredit: SWNS:South West News Service
Ronald is the nephew of the First Minister's sister-in-law's ex-husband.
The first year Law student at Pembroke College has now been kicked out of the Cambridge University Conservative Association (CUCA) and slammed as "abhorrent and repugnant" after the video was circulated on Snapchat.
His mum added: "It's completely out of character. He did two years of volunteering at Stockbridge shelter homeless shop in Edinburgh when he was still at school."
Stupid student... or no sympathy for beggars
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Youth news site reported that the incident took place on Bridge Street in the early hours of Thursday, one week ago.
It is understood that the student, who was wearing white tie attire, was an executive member of CUCA and is also part of the University's Law Society.
The incident could be similar to that of Oxford's Bullington club where new members are required to burn a £50 note in front of a beggar as part of the group's initiation ceremony.
Confirming his connection to the First Minister, a Scottish Government spokesperson said today: "There are six or seven degrees between them.
"He might go around saying he is her nephew but he's not.
"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 Minister's husband."
Cambridge University Conservative Association released a statement about the incident, saying: "The CUCA committee became aware of serious allegations against a member late last week concerning his private behaviour.
"There is no room for people who behave like that in our Association, any other University Association, or frankly our University."
They added: "This disgusting and abhorrent behaviour occurred completely independently of CUCA, and did not take place before or after any CUCA event.
"We determined the appropriate response to be to revoke his membership and bar him from all future events, which we did on Saturday."
They later told The Sun Online: "When the Chairman learnt of his despicable private actions his resignation was demanded, his life membership was revoked and he has been banned from all future events."
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The student's membership of the Cambridge University Conservative Association has been revokedCredit: Alamy
A Cambridge University spokesperson told The Sun Online: "The University is committed to respecting the rights and dignity of all members of our community.
"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.
"We do not comment on individual cases."
A spokesman for Mrs Sturgeon said Coyne is not her nephew.
Ronald’s dad Ronnie Coyne is the brother of Stephen Coyne who married Lisa Murrell. Lisa’s brother is
Nicola’s husband Peter Murrell, currently SNP chief executive.
The spokesman added: “Lisa and Stephen have not been together for ten years. The individual is not a direct relative of the First Minister or her husband.
“Even if he says he is Nicola Sturgeon’s nephew, this is not true.”
The Cambridge University Students' Union has been contacted for comment.
The Law Society has also been contacted for comment.
Coyne has deleted his Facebook account and was not available for comment.
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