Three retired carers are accused of running a child sex ring for 30 years at a school for vulnerable children where 'abuse was almost the norm', a court has heard. Colwyn Baker, David Hennessy and Nigel Putman are said to have preyed on youngsters at the now defunct Swaylands School in Penshurst, Kent, between 1963 and 1993. As well as the abuse allegedly committed by the trio, jurors were also told Baker allegedly encouraged the boys to commit sex acts on other children. David Hennessey (pictured left) and Nigel Putman (right) are accused alongside Colwyn Baker of sexually abusing youngsters at the now-defunct Swaylands School in Penshurst, Kent, between 1963 and 1993 . The three men face a total of 49 charges against 24 victims, who were aged between 10 to 15 at the time. Baker, 71, of Morningside, Edinburgh, faces 24 counts of indecent assault and three charges of rape. Hennessy, 74, of  King's Lynn, Norfolk, has been charged with 17 counts of indecent assault, one of gross indecency with a child and one of rape. Putman, 62, of  Slough, Berkshire, faces three charges of indecent assault. They deny all of the charges against them. The men were residential child care officers at Swaylands School, which catered for boys with emotional and behavioural difficulties and which closed in 1993. They are accused of making nightly rounds and encouraging the pupils to abuse each other in a number of cruel and sometimes painful sexual 'games' - keeping them quiet with blackmail and presents. The men were residential child care officers at Swaylands School (pictured) which catered for boys with emotional and behavioural difficulties. The school closed in 1993 and has since been converted in to flats . The court heard detailed descriptions of multiple counts of alleged sexual abuse, including a sex 'game' called 'toothpaste testicles'. Opening the 12-week trial at Maidstone Crown Court today, prosecutor Philip Bennetts QC told the jury: 'The atmosphere at the school at the time that you are considering was one where abuse was almost the norm. 'Children who were abused were positively encouraged to abuse other pupils. 'Abuse and the age of pupils abused led some pupils to consider that there was nothing wrong with abusing other pupils.' One of Baker's alleged victims became so scared that he often stayed awake at night, sleeping in stairwells to avoid Baker, Mr Bennetts said. As a result, the boy would often fall asleep in class, causing a dramatic decline in his learning. He would end up being caned by the headmaster as punishment for dozing off. The court heard another boy said Baker would wake him in the middle of the night and abuse him almost nightly for three years. Another told investigators that Baker was in charge of the Scouts, karate and swimming, adding: 'Anything good that you wanted to do as a boy, Baker was in charge of it.' Baker allegedly told the boy that he had a small penis because he did not 'exercise it' enough with other boys. Mr Bennett said the boy resisted for a long time but Baker made sure no one spoke to him, until he eventually 'caved in' and allowed others to 'do it'. Hennessy allegedly abused one boy on his first or second night at Swaylands, and told his victim: 'It's not worth crying, it won't help you,' jurors heard. The 12-week trial into historic child sex abuse at the school is being held at Maidstone Crown Court (pictured) The boy told police that Hennessy abused him from the age of 10 until he was 13 or 14, when he stopped as new boys came in and he was 'getting too old'. Victims said they were targeted when they were at their 'weakest', while going to sleep, jurors heard. Mr Bennetts said one boy revealed that Baker's most effective 'blackmail' tool was not allowing him to go home at the weekend. Mr Bennetts said one boy was abused for three years on a nightly basis by Hennessy while he was at the junior school. When the boy moved to the senior school, his care worker was Baker who allegedly continued sexually abused him until he was 16. Putman was said to have tried to molest one boy while he was in the shower. When the boy told Putman to back off, he put his arms round the boy 'like a lover', Mr Bennetts said. Mr Bennetts told the court that one victim, aged around seven or eight, remembers Hennessy buying him presents to keep quiet, including an orange Donald Duck hat and ski goggles. One victim said after Baker sexually abused him for the first time he felt 'confused and upset'. Mr Bennetts said: 'The victim quickly realised he would only be allowed to watch TV and do nice things that boys wanted to do, in return for sexual acts. Mr Bennetts told the jury that Baker was convicted in 1994 of four counts of indecent assault on a boy aged under 16 and one count of gross indecency. He also disclosed that Hennessy was convicted in December 1993 of four counts of indecent assault on a boy and two sex offences against a pupil. The trial was adjourned by Judge Philip Statman to 10.30am tomorrow morning. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
Colwyn Baker, David Hennessy and Nigel Putman allegedly abused boys . Three men were residential child care officers at Swaylands School in Kent . The school catered for boys with emotional and behavioural difficulties . Trio face a total of 49 charges against 24 victims aged between 10 to 15 . Court heard abuse at school was so common it was 'almost the norm'
Boys were allegedly encouraged to commit sex acts on other children .