A jury has retired to consider verdicts in the trial of three former members of staff at a residential school for boys accused of “a multitude of sexual abuse” covering 30 years.

Child care officers Colwyn Baker, 70, David Hennessy, 73, and 61-year-old Nigel Putman are alleged to have molested children at Swaylands School in Penshurst.

Baker is also accused of encouraging pupils to abuse each other.

The three face a total of 49 charges at Maidstone Crown Court involving 24 boys.

Prosecutor Philip Bennetts QC said Swaylands was a residential school for boys aged seven to 16 with moderate learning difficulties until 1989.

It was re-designated as a 60-pupil residential school for boys aged 11 to 16 with emotional and behavioural problems.

It was closed down in 1993.

Mr Bennetts told the jury of seven men and five women that Baker was convicted in February 1994 of four offences of indecent assault and one of gross indecency involving three boys at the school.

Hennessy was convicted in December 1993 of four offences of indecent assault and two other serious sexual offences on one boy.

“The reason you hear of these convictions is not to create prejudice against the defendants but because, as you will appreciate, they deny they have behaved in the way you will hear the complainants describe,” said Mr Bennetts.

Baker was employed at the school from May 1967 until his suspension and arrest in January 1993.

Hennessy was employed from March 1969. He resigned in April 1977 but was re-employed in April 1979.

Baker, of Morningside, Edinburgh, denied 22 charges of indecent assault on a male, one of indecency with a child and three other serious sexual offences.

Hennessy, of Westfields, Narborough, Kings Lynn, Norfolk, denied 18 charges of indecent assault on a male, one of indecency with a child and one other serious sexual offence.

Putman, of Kings Road, Slough, Berkshire, denied three charges of indecent assault on a male.

Only Hennessy gave evidence during the trial which started on March 4.

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