'Mooning' student in African jail

Patrick Devine is being held in Senegal

A Belfast student is in an African prison for allegedly "mooning" at the home of a Senegalese governor.

Patrick Devine, 19, from County Donegal, was arrested on 27 July for allegedly dropping his trousers as a dare in Saint Louis in Senegal.

It is understood he is being held in a cell with 40 others and his story is on the Bebo website.

Patrick Devine from Queen's University was working in Senegal on a Teaching & Projects Abroad (TPA) programme.

His arrest on 27 July came at the end of what he described on Bebo as "the worst week of his life" after he contracted chicken pox and had part of his small toe amputated due to infection.

But the family has requested no more publicity and will not be talking because of "the sensitivities of the case".

A source close to the family said he had been remanded in custody until the end of the month.

Consular help

The Irish Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed staff from its embassy in Nigeria had been working to secure the teenager's release.

"The Department is aware that an Irish student has been arrested and we are providing consular assistance through our embassy in Abuja, Nigeria," a spokeswoman said.

A spokesman for Teaching and Projects Abroad said: "We are doing all we can to help Patrick Devine."

However, he refused to comment further on the case.