SHOCKED magistrates have watched sickening CCTV footage of a gang of youths brutally beating a defenceless boy. It was played to a courtroom at Canterbury after six teenagers admitted the assault.

The film showed them swarming around a 15-year-old Afghan refugee who was lying on the ground while they kicked and stamped on his body and head.

The assault, which involved up to a dozen youths, left the victim unconscious with serious cuts and bruising to his head and body. He had to be detained in hospital for three days because concerns that he may have suffered brain damage.

Five teenagers from Herne Bay, where the attack took place, and one from Canterbury had all pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm at an early hearing which was adjourned for probation reports.

At Canterbury Youth Court on Friday an application by the Herne Bay Gazette to lift reporting restrictions and name the juveniles was rejected by magistrates.

Despite their admissions, the Crown Prosecution Service took the unusual step of asking that the CCTV footage capturing the incident in the town centre in June be shown.

Prosecutor John FitzGerald told the Bench: "It was a vicious and sustained attack in which you will see the boy on the ground while the youths punch, kick and stamp on him."

He said the attack had happened after a rumour had gone around that a refugee had assaulted a local girl. He went on to describe the part each of the accused had played in the attack. Later magistrates viewed photographs of the boy's injuries.

Some of the youths had been drinking and fled the scene afterwards leaving the victim lying unconscious on the pavement. But they were later identified with the help of the CCTV camareas.

Solicitors for the youths, who are aged between 15 and 17, each said their clients had been appalled by their actions which they deeply regretted. Some had written letters of apology to the boy and offered financial compensation.

One described it as a 'moment of madness' while others tried to mitigate the part their client had played in the attack.

Most said that custody would have a lasting and detrimental affect on their clients at the start of their lives.

Chairman of the Bench, David Wilding told the youths: "This was a particularly nasty offence. It was vicious, unprovoked and frenzied causing fear, pain and injuries to the victim."

Two of the gang were sentenced to 18 month and 12 month detention orders because they had previous convictions for assault and public disorder.

One, who was already doing community service for offensive behaviour, received a further 180 hour order.

The remaining three were sentenced to referral orders - which is a probation based training order. All the youths, except those taken into custody, were each ordered to pay the victim £200 compensation.

Appeals against sentence were immediately lodged by solicitors for the youths who were sentenced to detention and they were given bail by the magistrates pending that hearing.