Homeless man removed after six weeks living in Cambridge University library

Having managed to stay six weeks at a Cambridge University library, a mystery homeless man has been asked to leave.

The man appeared to just want a warm place to stay - and so chose St John's library.

St John's 'working library' (which is separate from the historic Old Library, which famously houses a collection of rare books, historic manuscripts and personal papers ) is open 24 hours. Although the front entrance door is unlocked when staffed, outside of hours the front door is locked. For students access into the building is 24/7 as long as they have their access card.

Yet, this did not deter the unknown man who man managed to bypass Cambridge University officials, who simply thought he was a student.

By 'tailgating' students who entered the library, the homeless man would then wander casually around the library, searching for books in the history aisle or using the university computer facilities.

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Students started to become suspicious when they noticed the man never changed his clothes and had a tendency to sleep (and snore) most evenings in the library.

The Cambridge Student newspaper was told by students that the man was often seen flicking through books in the History section, perusing on the computer and generally 'trying to look busy'. Casey Swemer, a second year St John's medical student, said the man approached her once and claimed he was working on a PhD about 'how we perceive religious identity'. Another student, Ben Brindley, remarked that 'He used to pace around. He brought Sainsbury's bags in and ate there, and never changed his clothes.'

After being unable to prove to the University authorities that he was a student, the man was asked
to leave by a porter.

The visitor was described as a slim black man with dreadlocks in his thirties, and was claimed by Big Issue sellers near the college to fit the description of a local busker.

A member of the college tweeted that the man had been 'living under the radar' for six weeks but since being asked to leave has not been seen again.

When asked to comment on the incident, a spokesman for St John's College said: "The presence of a male in the library was reported to the porters who asked him to leave when he was unable to identify himself as a student of the college. He has not been seen in St John's subsequently."

Homeless man removed after six weeks living in Cambridge University library

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