THREE soldiers were jailed yesterday after kicking a warrant officer 29 times during a drunken attack.

The soldiers, from the Royal Highland Fusiliers, had been on a 48-hour drinking binge before the attack, outside a bar at Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire.

A forensic pathologist said they could have killed Warrant Officer Ian Morris, 39.

Security camera footage showed him lying unconscious as they continued to kick him in the face and head.

One of the soldiers injured his foot and was seen limping away, said Shaun Dodds, prosecuting.

However, WO Morris suffered only minor injuries and an initial charge of attempted murder was reduced to attempted grievous bodily harm on February 3.

All three pleaded guilty at Teesside Crown Court.

Dean Bradshaw, 18, of Johnson Estate, Wheatley Hill, County Durham, was sentenced to 27 months in a young offenders' institution while James Tudhope, 20, of Saline, Fife, and Robert Brown, 19, of Ardrossan, Ayrshire, were both sentenced to 32 months in custody.

They also admitted escaping from a police car after their arrest.

Rod Hunt, in mitigation, said: "They will all now be dismissed from the army."

Judge Peter Armstrong said: "What I saw on the video can only be described as an appalling and vicious attack.

"It is a miracle that he did not suffer injuries as often occur during such an attack."