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A Cambridge university student has been filmed setting light to a £20 note in front of a homeless man on the city's streets.

The shocking footage shows the Pembroke College student dressed smartly in bow tie and tails using a cigarette lighter to burn the cash.

It is alleged the video, which has been shared on Snapchat, was filmed in the early hours of February 2.

During filming, the person recording the student's actions turns to capture a homeless person in shot.

The students says "some homeless shelter" and the video ends.

The Cambridge University Conservative Association (CUCA) has named the student as Ronald Coyne, their communications officer, and said it has now expelled him from the group.

(Image: The Tab / SWNS)

A spokesman for the CUCA said the behaviour was "disgusting and abhorrent".

He added: "The CUCA committee became aware of serious allegations against Ronald Coyne 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.

"This disgusting and abhorrent behaviour occurred completely independently of CUCA and did not take place before or after any CUCA event."

CUCA alumni include ex-cabinet minister Ken Clarke MP, while ex-chief whip Andrew Mitchell MP and Lord Speaker Lord Fowler are both still honorary vice-presidents.

Its honorary president is prominent historian Andrew Roberts, author of Napoleon the Great.

Coyne is said to have been attending a parents’ formal at Pembroke College the night of the alleged incident.

(Image: The Tab / SWNS)

George Clarke, founder of Embrace Cambridge, a charity that works with homeless people in Cambridge, said drunk students should not be abusing homeless people.

He added: "There is a disturbing precedent for intoxicated Cambridge students abusing rough sleepers in the city, but as well as calling out this disgraceful behaviour wherever we find it we can and should remember that there is a real heart for charity at this university too."

The disgraced student is also alleged to have told students that he was related to Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon.

But a Scottish government spokesman said: "They are not really related, the connection is so distant it doesn't even count as a relation.

"She has no recollection of ever meeting him."