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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:
Coffeeishot · 15/11/2025 09:03

UtterlyOtterly · 15/11/2025 08:44

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

I just read a couple of articles and they don't say "Christian camp" .just summer camp,

AlphaBravoGamma · 15/11/2025 09:09

The organisation left leaflets in local schools advertising the camps

AlphaBravoGamma · 15/11/2025 09:11

Coffeeishot · 15/11/2025 09:03

I just read a couple of articles and they don't say "Christian camp" .just summer camp,

I think you'll find he was involved in Christian promotion

ResusciAnnie · 15/11/2025 09:13

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.

But surely the point is he doesn’t deserve a humane end?

Coffeeishot · 15/11/2025 09:15

AlphaBravoGamma · 15/11/2025 09:11

I think you'll find he was involved in Christian promotion

Was he? I have been looking and can't find anything, i guess if people are from the area will know of him.

MinnieCauldwell · 15/11/2025 09:18

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.

Edited

The problem is things like the DBS system are not worth the paper they are written on most of the time.
The DBS only shows crimes you have been caught and convicted for. This creep would have a clean DBS, and so would Jimmy Saville! It is also possible to change your name or gender and get one.

I bet most of these kids were in the care system so no one really looking to closely at what was going on.

If you look at the charities website it can sometimes give you an insight in to who is running a charity.

SuperMix · 15/11/2025 09:18

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.

Oh my word I hadn’t even thought about that. It’s crazy. 27 years of children falling unwell at the camp is awful

OP posts:
MissyB1 · 15/11/2025 09:19

Do these summer camps/school holiday camp places get inspected at all? Is there any regulation of them at all?

Coffeeishot · 15/11/2025 09:20

AlphaBravoGamma · 15/11/2025 09:11

I think you'll find he was involved in Christian promotion

I am perceiving a "tone" that you think i don't believe you ?

Urmam · 15/11/2025 09:25

MinnieCauldwell · 15/11/2025 09:18

The problem is things like the DBS system are not worth the paper they are written on most of the time.
The DBS only shows crimes you have been caught and convicted for. This creep would have a clean DBS, and so would Jimmy Saville! It is also possible to change your name or gender and get one.

I bet most of these kids were in the care system so no one really looking to closely at what was going on.

If you look at the charities website it can sometimes give you an insight in to who is running a charity.

Quite.
Although you can look behind a name change /gender change - I know because we did so whenever it came up . But you have to know to be alert to the issue. And you have to be prepared for some very angry letters from the "woman" who used to be a man with a string of sex offences on his record.
It's awful that all offences from pre gender change arent revealed routinely

AlphaBravoGamma · 15/11/2025 09:26

Coffeeishot · 15/11/2025 09:20

I am perceiving a "tone" that you think i don't believe you ?

?????
Local knowledge, no tone given or intended

AlphaBravoGamma · 15/11/2025 09:28

Coffeeishot · 15/11/2025 09:15

Was he? I have been looking and can't find anything, i guess if people are from the area will know of him.

Indeed

Coffeeishot · 15/11/2025 09:28

AlphaBravoGamma · 15/11/2025 09:26

?????
Local knowledge, no tone given or intended

Edited

I read you wrong sorry.

AlphaBravoGamma · 15/11/2025 09:29

Coffeeishot · 15/11/2025 09:28

I read you wrong sorry.

That's ok

Urmam · 15/11/2025 09:30

He only got away with it as long as he didn't because a lot of other people ignored things when they shouldn't have done. Hopefully that will come out in an investigation

I remember as a young volunteer feeling deeply uncomfortable about an adult males behaviour with a young boy and not understanding why all the adults were acting like it was nothing concerning. Thankfully I spoke to my mum when I got home and she was very good friends with someone senior in children's service and they helped me find the right channel to deal with this. But it has stayed with me how many adults ignored red flags for an easy life.

Timeforabitofpeace · 15/11/2025 09:31

Christian summer camp

rainbowunicorn · 15/11/2025 09:33

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?

If you read the article it says he ran the camp.

Poorabbeywalsh2 · 15/11/2025 09:34

This makes me sooooo angry. The stepson reported it to the police TWICE and they did not respond. What the actual hell is this.

lostintranslation148 · 15/11/2025 09:41

Those poor kids, who knows how many have been abused. The step son is a hero.

caramac04 · 15/11/2025 09:43

Ohwhatfuckeryitistoride · 15/11/2025 08:51

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.

True and unfortunately these monsters often talk about their depraved crimes, reliving their pleasure and feeding other prisoners’ perversions. This normalise such monstrous behaviour. Utterly sickening.
So many poor children wickedly assaulted.

Orangemintcream · 15/11/2025 09:45

I cannot get over the police being called twice and doing nothing.

TenWeeCaramelJoeys · 15/11/2025 09:57

There are no words. There are children and adults out there who fell ill at the camp over all those years, who are now finding out why. My heart absolutely breaks for them. And this evil man has managed to get to the age of 76 without being caught. He only has a few years of life left to suffer for his crimes. It doesn’t feel much like justice. Horrendous.

EasternStandard · 15/11/2025 10:06

Presumably residential trips through schools have safeguarding so one man can’t be with children. Eugh just writing that.

This wasn’t school but just some camp. Although the risk is still there. What kind of gap do we have that any child is left in this situation

Coffeeishot · 15/11/2025 10:12

EasternStandard · 15/11/2025 10:06

Presumably residential trips through schools have safeguarding so one man can’t be with children. Eugh just writing that.

This wasn’t school but just some camp. Although the risk is still there. What kind of gap do we have that any child is left in this situation

I can't comprehend children being sent to this "camp" without other appropriate supervision or trusted adults, unless the children were part of the religious organisation he was involved with?