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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:
LizzieW1969 · 15/11/2025 11:59

I’m afraid I’m not in the least surprised. Some Christian churches do bury their heads in the sand about CSA. There’s even pressure on families not to report perpetrators so as not to ‘bring shame’ on the church. This happened to a good friend of mine who was pressured by the pastor of her church not to report her husband, who had sexually abused her teenage DD.

This is a shocking case, and it’s scary to think how many victims there might be of this man.

PrizedPickledPopcorn · 15/11/2025 17:54

The point with DBS is that it’s clear until someone catches you.

Good safeguarding procedures should make it impossible to groom and abuse children- but predators find a way.

You’d need the adults supervising to share a room as well as the dc to share a room. Or a lock that needs two keys or similar. There’s no way of stopping an adult within the building accessing children’s rooms when everyone else is asleep. Especially if the adults are doped too.

People who have had physically exhausting days may not be surprised when they and the DC sleep really heavily.

It’s fiendish.

SuperMix · 17/11/2025 03:24

I think I just feel so shocked that it’s been going on for 27 years. Good on his step son

OP posts:
Poorabbeywalsh2 · 17/11/2025 07:42

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.

I'm not sure whether 'prison justice' is good enough. I hope his inmates make him suffer during his remaining years instead of ending them too quickly. 😡

And another one : Teenage nursery worker detained for raping three-year-old boy | The Crown Prosecution Service https://share.google/9128jKJjYl57cHf0R

Where are the safeguards ? Is this a call for cameras everywhere in nurseries ?

Urmam · 17/11/2025 07:50

It's weird so many are focusing on some form of violent vigilante "justice" rather than the thing which would actually make a difference and stop this happening again which is improvements to safeguarding and conversations around red flags and where and how to report them . And resources for services that can follow up on reports

soupyspoon · 17/11/2025 07:59

Who was booking the children on the camps though? Schools, parents, local authorities?

I dont understand the reason why he wasnt required to have a DBS check although as others have said it wouldnt show much. It would sho police intelligence that the the police had been called and a report made however, although I dont know how recently that was and that would only be under an enhanced DBS

bluedabadeedabadoo · 17/11/2025 08:45

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

Absolutely this. I work in a role that manages allegations against children and it is frightening how people can open up certain companies with no regulation whatsoever and nothing that no-body can do about it, including LADO’s who work for local authorities and the police (as it isn’t a criminal offence). Private tutoring and small sports groups such as boxing classes ran in small boxing gyms (that are more fitness gyms than boxing so are not regulated by England Boxing) are the worse and are both situations I’ve encountered and have had real difficulty managing. The other difficult ones have been churches where they are responsible for their own governance which I wonder was the case here. In the case I had, nearly all of the trustees were family members as was the DSL.

KenAdams · 11/02/2026 05:32

Full details on this case have now been released and it barely made the news. I'm astounded that his hideous crimes haven't been reported on in the media and we've had no politicians speak out about it.

caramac04 · 11/02/2026 08:39

I can’t go but think of all those kids, many now adults, who might remember the sweetie game but won’t know if they were a victim of this monster’s abuse. Not remembering is not necessarily better than remembering, both can torture.
So many must be wondering if they were victims years ago because it has gone on undetected for so long.
Well done to the family members who reported their concerns to the police. Shame on those officers who didn’t think any urgency was necessary.

LizzieW1969 · 11/02/2026 10:34

caramac04 · 11/02/2026 08:39

I can’t go but think of all those kids, many now adults, who might remember the sweetie game but won’t know if they were a victim of this monster’s abuse. Not remembering is not necessarily better than remembering, both can torture.
So many must be wondering if they were victims years ago because it has gone on undetected for so long.
Well done to the family members who reported their concerns to the police. Shame on those officers who didn’t think any urgency was necessary.

There will very likely be historical abuse cases that will come to light. And yes, repressing memories really isn’t better in the long run, though it helps you survive at the time.

I’ve been there. The memories of my CSA came back when I was in my forties with 2 young DDs, same for my DSis. Before that, I had flashbacks which I couldn’t place and I thought I was going crazy. As awful as it was to remember, it was a relief to know that I wasn’t crazy.

So yes, there will be future cases, tragically. Yet another time when the church has failed to safeguard children from abusers and has instead protected the abuser.

AllPlayedOut · 11/02/2026 11:33

KenAdams · 11/02/2026 05:32

Full details on this case have now been released and it barely made the news. I'm astounded that his hideous crimes haven't been reported on in the media and we've had no politicians speak out about it.

I’ve read several articles about it.

TheClangyClunk · 11/02/2026 12:49

AllPlayedOut · 11/02/2026 11:33

I’ve read several articles about it.

Me too, it's definitely been on the national news.

kinkytoes · 11/02/2026 12:51

It was on the news a few days ago. I looked for this thread to post an update, but couldn't find it.

EmeraldShamrock000 · 11/02/2026 12:52

Vile, disgusting, Am I surprised that the he done it, nope.
We are hearing more stories of women who have been drugged and sexually assaulted for years. It is deplorable but not surprising.
Any opportunity is a miss opportunity to these absolute filth bags.

AeroChambre · 11/02/2026 12:57

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.

This is what stuck out for me too.

Having to make the decision to ring and voice probably unthinkable concerns and wondering if you have got it wrong etc, and then getting no help and having to ring again with more desperation!

PrizedPickledPopcorn · 11/02/2026 13:07

He was drugging his wife as well. There will be so many people wrestling with whether they should have understood what was happening more quickly.

I suspect a lot of victims around the country are quietly putting 2 and 2 together and going to the police. I expect people have gone to the police before, and been dismissed.

We are becoming more aware.

Verytall · 11/02/2026 13:14

EmeraldShamrock000 · 11/02/2026 12:52

Vile, disgusting, Am I surprised that the he done it, nope.
We are hearing more stories of women who have been drugged and sexually assaulted for years. It is deplorable but not surprising.
Any opportunity is a miss opportunity to these absolute filth bags.

Whilst I don't disagree, this man targeted young boys specifically. He drugged his wife so she would be in a deep sleep and therefore wouldn't wake up and go looking for him

MO0N · 11/02/2026 13:23

I suspect a lot of victims around the country are quietly putting 2 and 2 together and going to the police. I expect people have gone to the police before, and been dismissed.
We are becoming more aware.
@PrizedPickledPopcorn I agree, I find it hard to comprehend that this could happen, that someone would actually do something like that.
Victims of these kinds of crimes will have been trapped in a limbo of denial and confusion.
And the perpetrator, what happens, how is it that they become consumed with this desire to completely dominate and possess others?
(I have to stress that I'm not seeking to exonerate the perpetrator in any way shape or form.)

marcyhermit · 11/02/2026 13:50

bluedabadeedabadoo · 17/11/2025 08:45

Absolutely this. I work in a role that manages allegations against children and it is frightening how people can open up certain companies with no regulation whatsoever and nothing that no-body can do about it, including LADO’s who work for local authorities and the police (as it isn’t a criminal offence). Private tutoring and small sports groups such as boxing classes ran in small boxing gyms (that are more fitness gyms than boxing so are not regulated by England Boxing) are the worse and are both situations I’ve encountered and have had real difficulty managing. The other difficult ones have been churches where they are responsible for their own governance which I wonder was the case here. In the case I had, nearly all of the trustees were family members as was the DSL.

People would be surprised at how little regulation there is for children's clubs.
Anything running for 14 days of less a year.
Sports clubs, performing arts schools, art classes, tuition centres can take children from age 3 with no need to register with Ofsted.

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