TWO senior pupils at Maidstone Grammar School have admitted taking part in an orgy of violence against other students at an Army cadet camp. Nicholas Dunnett and Matthew Head pleaded guilty at Maidstone Magistrates' Court to a catalogue of cruelty against younger boys in their care.

Seven boys from the school were subjected to a series of sustained assaults in an Army hut during a Combined Cadet Force weekend camp last November at Cheriton, near Folkstone.

The victims told police that a fighting arena was built in a hut out of plastic mattresses stripped from their beds. One by one, the victims were thrown into the arena and beaten up. Some of the cadets were held down while others swung off low hanging beams on to them.

One of the victims had 18 different bruises on his body. Another boy was pulled 20 yards across the hut floor by his boxer shorts, cutting his arm.

Dennett, 18, of Allington Way, Maidstone, admitted six offences of common assault. Head, also 18, of Plains Avenue, Maidstone, referred to as the ring leader, admitted eight charges of common assault, two of assault by beating, and two racially aggravated offences.

Court chairman Alan Sheppard told Dunnett and Head they would each be conditionally discharged for a year. Head was ordered to pay £50 compensation to each of six victims and £100 towards prosecution costs, and Dunnett £50 to each of four victims and £100 towards prosecution costs.

Alan Clarke, prosecuting, told the court "a general barrage of racial abuse" had been directed at some of the Asian cadets.

Through it all, it was claimed, the teachers turned a blind. One teacher in particular, said Mr Clarke, was involved in some of the incidents which took place in Hut 68.

Mr Clarke said nine boys had been arrested in relation to the offences. Five had been cautioned and two were awiting trial.

Det Sgt David Philpot, who investigated the case, said: "The sentence does not reflect the gravity of the offences which were numerous and went far beyond that which might be termed bullying. One must ask what sort of message does this send out to offenders and in particular to the victims who were all young boys and most of whom were subjected to sustained and degrading acts.

"Some of the victims were just beaten until they were reduced to tears. It is very difficult to describe to someone the things that went on in that room after lights out.

"We've all been subjected to initiations at school, but nothing like this. A lot of them were put in that hut to be cracked."

Dunnett and Head both had previously unblemished records the court heard. They are both due to start university courses. They both had glowing character references submitted by Neil Turrell, head teacher of Maidstone Grammar School. Mr Turrell declined to comment after the case.