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Cambridge University students reportedly made light of a student burning a £20 note in front of a homeless man, joking that "It should have been a £50".

Law student Ronald Coyne put himself in the limelight earlier this year when a video emerged apparently showing him taunting rough sleeper Ryan Davies by burning a £20 note in front of him.

There was wide-spread condemnation of Coyne’s actions, with many calling for his expulsion from the university.

Now, student newspaper The Tab has reported that a secret recording, taken at a Cambridge University Conservative Association (CUCA) event two weeks after the incident, appears to show the moment members broke out into 11 seconds of raucous laughter after one shouted out that "It should have been a £50 note".

The Tab reported that students gathered for a Cambridge University Conservative Association dinner in Gonville and Caius College on February 24 laughed when a student shouted out that the worst thing about Coyne’s behaviour was that he had not burned a £50 instead.

The Tab says an audio recording of a Q&A session with Havant MP Alan Mak shows members at the dinner laughing and defending Coyne’s actions.

(Image: The Tab / SWNS)

Alan Mak MP said: "Following a question from the audience, I quickly condemned Ronald Coyne's actions. I believe his behaviour was totally inappropriate and not representative of the Conservative Party, CUCA or Cambridge University."

A spokesman for Alan Mak elaborated, saying the jokes were “pretty distasteful” and that Mr Mak had distanced himself from them straight away.

“Alan was invited to the event as a guest speaker,” the spokesman said. “A member there made a distasteful comment and Alan has made it clear he distances himself from anything Ronald Coyne said or did.”

Mr Mak’s speech was instructing members on how not to become a "professional politician".

Cambridge University Conservative Association declined to comment.

Bosses at the historic university are still yet to confirm or deny if disciplinary action has been taken against the first-year student at Pembroke College for his actions.

A spokesman of the University of Cambridge said: "The dinner was a private event therefore it would be inappropriate for us to comment."

He said there was "no update" on their previous statement on their response to Mr Coyne's actions, which said: "We are aware of an incident that took place in the early hours of February 2.

"This incident has been referred to the University's Disciplinary process. We cannot comment further while this process is underway."

Mr Coyne was promptly expelled from CUCA which said it was "shocked and outraged" by his behaviour.