Student fined over Senegal ‘mooning’

“MOONING” Donegal student Patrick Devine was celebrating quietly with his family at a secret hideaway last night.

Earlier — in his absence — a west African court in Senegal had handed him a four-month suspended sentence and a stg£150 (€221) fine.

It was reported Mr Devine flew home earlier this week with members of his family who had travelled to the west African country.

Mr Devine had been working over the summer as a volunteer with the English-based Teaching and Projects Abroad charity, when he got into trouble.

He had been imprisoned in the Maison de la Correction prison. During that period, Irish diplomats based at Abuja in neighbouring Nigeria had been liaising with the Queen’s University Belfast architecture student.

The 19-year-old had been released on bail by the Senegalese court last Friday. Since no conditions were set, he took the opportunity to return home with members of his family.

A European Union consular official was in court to hear the verdict and pay the fine.

July 27 marked the start of an ordeal for Mr Devine and his family after his prank landed him in jail for three weeks, sharing a cell with 40 men.

He had been arrested in the predominantly Muslim, former French colony because he dropped his trousers outside a governor’s residence in Saint-Louis as part of a dare.