A HEAD teacher has gone on trial, accused of physically abused boys in a "reign of terror" at a private school.

Derek Slade, 60, is said to have hand-picked pupils for his violent attention, which left the youngsters bleeding, bruised and shocked.

He is alleged to have used a cane, a slipper and a table tennis bat to inflict beatings, as well as groping the boys.

Slade was arrested at his home in Farm Road, Burton, on February 15 after ex-pupils who made contact with each other through internet social networking sites alerted the police, a court heard.

Slade faces 15 charges involving offences alleged to have been committed between September 1978 and August 1984 at St George's School, first at Wicklewood, in Norfolk, and after 1980 when it moved to Great Finborough, Suffolk.

He has pleaded not guilty to four offences of serious sexual assault, plus five of indecent assault on a male and six of assault causing actual bodily harm. The charges involve six boys.

But Slade has pleaded guilty to 19 other offences – 15 indecent assaults and four assaults causing actual bodily harm.

Yesterday, a jury at Ipswich Crown Court heard claims that Slade had led young boys to a house in the school grounds where "midnight feasts" were organised, with men having the pick of those boys.

Andrew Thompson, for the prosecution, likened Slade to the violent headmaster Wackford Squeers in Charles Dickens' novel Nicholas Nickleby, claiming Slade was prone to spontaneous violence and administering corporal punishment to excess.

"Mr Slade has a similar profile in this case," said Mr Thompson.

On one occasion, a 10-year-old who had been called to Slade's study was struck so hard that he cowered under a table after being knocked to the floor, he claimed. Many of Slade's alleged victims were the sons of service personnel stationed abroad with the Ministry of Defence paying their school fees, said Mr Thompson.

Slade, who stood down as headmaster in 1983, had managed St George's with a "reign of terror", the jury heard.

One boy with a heavy cold who spat on a toilet floor was forced by Slade to clear it up with his tongue, it was claimed.

Mr Thompson alleged that Slade had intercepted pupils' letters to their parents and one boy who had written asking to be moved to another school told police he had been given "the beating of my life" by Slade.

The boy, who was aged 10 at the time, had been at the school for just 72 hours when he was selected by Slade for punishment and sexual abuse on several occasions, it is alleged.

Thirteen former pupils are expected to give evidence.

The trial continues.