A 76-year-old man in Ruddington, Nottinghamshire, confessed to a series of crimes involving drugging young boys with laced sweets at a summer camp to incapacitate them before selecting victims for sexual assault. Jon Ruben admitted to various charges, including sexual assault of a child under 13, child cruelty, making indecent images of children, and drug-related offenses. However, he denied one charge of assault by penetration, pending further review by prosecutors.
Authorities were informed of Ruben’s suspicious activities at Stathern Lodge near Melton on July 25 but only responded after multiple calls on July 27 when several children at the camp became ill, showing symptoms like drowsiness, vomiting, and unconsciousness. The court learned that Ruben, a former teacher and church leader, had a longstanding practice of grooming children through youth clubs and Sunday schools to attend his holiday camp.
Ruben allegedly drugged the boys by injecting tranquilizers into sweets, which he distributed during a game where the children were instructed to eat them quickly. The purpose was to incapacitate them for abuse while ensuring others remained asleep to prevent witnessing the assaults. Reports indicated that the affected boys experienced difficulty waking up, slurred speech, sickness, and general unwellness the following day. Police found incriminating items like drugs, vaseline, sex toys, and syringes at Stathern Lodge, including injected sweets awaiting use.
Leicestershire Police faced scrutiny for delays in responding to the incident and referred themselves to the Independent Office for Police Conduct for investigation. The police initially misreported the incident date but later corrected it. The lodge’s owners were confirmed not involved in the case. Stathern Lodge, a converted farmhouse with sports facilities, is at the center of the scandal. Ruben is awaiting sentencing in court.
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