Relief at release on bail of Irish student arrested in Senegal

NEWS that a young student was freed on bail after mooning in Senegal has been greeted with delight in his home town.

Patrick Devine was working in the west African country with a charity when arrested on July 27 after flashing his bottom.

The Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed yesterday that Mr Devine had been granted bail by the court of appeal in Dakar. At his seaside home town in Dunfanaghy, locals expressed relief.

Parish priest Fr Martin Doohan said the 19-year-old had a noble spirit and that his release was a relief for the community.

“It is great news. There is a sense of relief and we just hope that he gets back home safe and sound.

“The local community say it’s good news. The parish is like a family, a very close- knit community. It would be very supportive of young Patrick. A very young lad and a very good lad who went out to do working abroad helping children.

“People are just glad and hopefully there will be a happy conclusion.”

It is believed no conditions are imposed and Mr Devine may be able to travel home to Ireland and return again next week to Senegal for his trial.

A judge last week deferred the bail hearing until yesterday.

Mr Devine had been imprisoned in the Maison de la Correction prison. Irish diplomats based at the Irish embassy in neighbouring Nigeria have been liaising with the Queen’s University Belfast student for the last three weeks.

The engineering student was arrested in July after allegedly dropping his trousers outside the home of one of the country’s governors in Saint Louis.

He had been working over the summer in the former French colony, as a volunteer helping street children with the Teaching and Projects Abroad organisation.

It has been reported he pulled the stunt as part of a series of dares suggested by members of the group, when he was spotted by a local man.

The man restrained the student until police arrived and after several days in police cells he was moved to La Maison de la Correction where he reportedly shared a cell with 40 other criminal suspects.

It is understood the jailed Donegal man’s mother Noreen, her brother and sister-in-law travelled to Senegal, where they have been visiting him in jail.

Patrick’s father Patsy Devine runs a bar in Dunfanaghy. When the family home was contacted yesterday, they said: “Due to the sensitivity of the case, it’s a private family matter.”

Fr Doohan yesterday stressed that Patrick had only good intentions when he had travelled to Senegal.

“They (the community) would remember what brought him there in the first place. When you think what brings a person out to a place like that to do that kind of work — they have to have a noble nature.

“It was working with disadvantaged children, teaching and even basic things like feeding and helping with the distribution of food.”