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Man who ‘poisoned children’ in July pleads guilty. TW THIS IS HORRIFIC

69 replies

SuperMix · 15/11/2025 01:51

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgkxvjj054o.amp

I remember reading a thread about this. However apparently children have been saying they have been falling sick every year for 27 years..

A man who laced sweets with tranquilliser and gave them to children at a summer camp in Leicestershire has admitted sexual offences against two boys under 13.
Jon Ruben was arrested after eight children and one adult fell ill at Stathern Lodge in July.
The 76-year-old, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty to a total of 17 charges when he appeared at Leicester Crown Court on Friday.
However, he denied one of the sexual offences he was charged with, which was against a boy under 13.
Prosecutors have been given two weeks to consider if they will proceed with this charge, meaning Ruben could still stand trial.
He was remanded in custody ahead of a further hearing on 28 November.
'Sweet game'
Mary Prior KC, prosecuting, outlined Ruben's offending to the court.
She said his victims were under-privileged children who were staying at a summer camp that he ran.
"The defendant, for at least 27 years, has run a holiday camp," she said.
"There is a long history of children feeling sick at the camp over many years."
Ruben played a "sweet game" with the children, Mrs Prior KC said, in which he would go into the boys' rooms when they were getting ready for bed and ask them to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".
She told the court Ruben had played this game with the boys "for many years", and children had previously fallen ill the following morning.
She said Ruben had been able to explain this away as the children being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his stepson had concerns in July 2025.
Mrs Prior KC added: "This year his stepson had concerns about what was going on, for good reason.
"They decided to have a look in the defendant's belongings."

Mrs Prior KC said items including baby oil, Vaseline and syringes were found, and his stepson notified the police about his concerns.
She said Ruben went on to play the "sweet game" with six boys that night - Saturday 26 July - and they were all ill the following morning.
"The police had not gone out by that stage," she added.
The police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), previously told the BBC it was investigating Leicestershire Police's handling of the incident.
Mrs Prior KC said the children were having difficulty walking due to being ill, so Ruben's stepson called the police again.
She said Ruben then played the "sweet game" in a room of five children.
Mrs Prior KC said police did then attend, and Ruben was arrested at a nearby pub, where he was having a meal with some of the children.
She said eight of the children were taken to hospital, with five of them being "very ill".
Devices belonging to Ruben were later analysed and were found to contain more than 50 category A indecent videos of children, which are the most serious kind.
Category B and C videos were also found

Temporary Det Ch Insp Neil Holden said: "This has been a horrific, complex and emotional investigation involving multiple young, innocent, vulnerable victims and a man who committed the vilest crimes.
"Our focus today must of course remain on the young victims and with the support of partners and dedicated family liaison officers, we have and continue to support their welfare and to ensure their safeguarding going forward."

This man needs to be in prison until he dies.

Jon Ruben

Man admits sex offences against boys at Stathern summer camp - BBC News

Jon Ruben, 76, pleads guilty to a series of charges including sex offences against two young boys.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgkxvjj054o.amp

OP posts:
GreatWhiteWail · 15/11/2025 02:10

It's incomprehensible. Dread to think how many victims there are.

Well done to his step son.

Callwaiting2025 · 15/11/2025 06:38

Excecute him.

orangewasp · 15/11/2025 06:46

Horrific. What were the safeguarding arrangements in this set up - how was a man allowed into rooms at night to 'play games' and why didn't the police address this as a matter of urgency and prevent an attack that night?
Thank goodness the stepson raised the alarm.

kinkytoes · 15/11/2025 06:50

☹️

Surely it's not safe for a single person to run a camp for so many kids? Did nobody else work with him? Maybe the stepson was helping, thank goodness for him. I wonder how old he was and if he too had been a victim at any point.

Awful safeguarding risk, sadly borne out!

Alpacajigsaw · 15/11/2025 07:13

It is horrendous. What an evil depraved bastard. Poor children

Urmam · 15/11/2025 07:22

It's so far beyond horrific. I was crying reading it yesterday

I am devastated he got away with it for so long and I feel sick thinking about all the children he harmed.

I can't help feeling there will be more of this story in time as well sadly.

But I remember saying at.the time the news broke that one of the big red flags for his charity was that the trustee board was two couples , and that rang huge alarm bells for me. A of people didn't believe me at the time but it really was. Its never good governance to have a board like.that.

Screwyousimon · 15/11/2025 07:22

I read this yesterday with absolute horror too. What a horrific crime - poor children and families. Thank God the Stepson noticed it all as who knows how much longer his abuse would have gone undetected.

Darlingx · 15/11/2025 07:24

I feel so worried for children that all that jumps out these days is the horrific abuse of the most vulnerable all those victims spanning nearly 3 decades it makes you feel sick and their lives have been forever destroyed they were already underprivileged .
He will be in their nightmares for their lifetimes. I hope they can help the victims as a lot of them will be adults I just hope it hasn’t created a cycle .
I hope he is in fear for his life for eternity

Vcrelative · 15/11/2025 07:25

Well done to his stepson.

evil man.

guinnessguzzler · 15/11/2025 07:34

It is utterly horrific and to think it has been going on for so long. It's disgraceful that the police didn't bother to act when they were first notified though, they could have prevented those final assaults.

IamIfeel · 15/11/2025 07:38

This was quite upsetting to read, in part because there are no doubt many other children (likely including his step son) who have been victims of assault by him. Possibly without their own knowledge. It’s sickening.

Thank god for the step son for brining a horrendous cycle to an end. He’s literally saved lives.

TimeForATerf · 15/11/2025 07:44

As soon as this story was first reported I suspected the man arrested had nefarious reasons for giving the sweets, it’s a story as old as time sadly, holiday camps and vulnerable children.

EasternStandard · 15/11/2025 07:49

Wtf this is horrendous. No safeguarding. Just awful to read.

CuboidRectangle · 15/11/2025 07:55

I really REALLY hope this ends the legal loophole where owners of child-related businesses don’t have to show a DBS to anyone or undergo any background checks. My local soft play two years ago got new owners and this dodgy old man unlocked the women’s toilet on me and tried to come in. I screamed and he made out it was all a misunderstanding. He was the new owner. It turned out he was doing it regularly. I tried to report it and there was literally no one who would or could hold him accountable. It made me realise literally anyone can buy a soft play or start any other kid-related business (like this camp) and no one is checking who they are at all. I really hope this case forces a change in the law and makes either police or the council responsible for checking people who run these places.

Callwaiting2025 · 15/11/2025 08:26

Callwaiting2025 · 15/11/2025 06:38

Excecute him.

Typo. Annoying.

tonyhawks23 · 15/11/2025 08:29

The stepson deserves a medal he's a hero doing that.

PrizedPickledPopcorn · 15/11/2025 08:33

Dear Lord. Thank goodness for his stepson! How frustrating and distressing for him, too, beginning to be concerned, raising it with the police, but nothing happening.

ResusciAnnie · 15/11/2025 08:33

Callwaiting2025 · 15/11/2025 06:38

Excecute him.

I do understand that stance, but if you execute him then he got away with his crimes for his whole life. I’d rather see him put in jail and left to the inmates.

Coffeeishot · 15/11/2025 08:42

27 years ! What organisation sends children to summer camps where they are regularly ill from "over excitement " my god! I hope he just withers and rots in jail.

UtterlyOtterly · 15/11/2025 08:44

I think I read that this was a "Christian" camp. Is that correct?

ThatAlertLilacFinch · 15/11/2025 08:45

He used to be a vet, so presumably he was getting the drugs from his work.

Also the stepson called the police THREE TIMES before they came out, it’s shocking.

Elsvieta · 15/11/2025 08:46

I still don't get what he was in relation to the camp or anyone there and how he was getting access to the kids - is he a relative of a staff member or something?

SquirrelosaurusSoShiny · 15/11/2025 08:50

I'll be honest, when I heard this last night I thought it was a pity we couldn't put a bolt gun through his head and be done with him. We do it to completely innocent cows because it's apparently humane. So a 'humane' end to this creature seems like a win all round. Those poor children. His stepson deserves a medal.

Ohwhatfuckeryitistoride · 15/11/2025 08:51

ResusciAnnie · 15/11/2025 08:33

I do understand that stance, but if you execute him then he got away with his crimes for his whole life. I’d rather see him put in jail and left to the inmates.

I understand your sentiment, but there is a mythology about sex offenders in prison, they are in segregation, they dont mix with the general population and instances like that vile ex pop star aren't as common as you'd think.

AllPlayedOut · 15/11/2025 08:51

Elsvieta · 15/11/2025 08:46

I still don't get what he was in relation to the camp or anyone there and how he was getting access to the kids - is he a relative of a staff member or something?

The article says that he ran the summer camp.

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