Cliff Notes
- Jon Ruben, 76, has been remanded in custody on charges of child cruelty for allegedly lacing sweets with sedatives, causing illness among children at a summer camp in Leicestershire.
- He faces three counts of wilfully assaulting and neglecting children, specifically relating to three boys aged between eight and eleven who fell ill between 25-29 July.
- Ruben’s next court appearance is scheduled for 29 August, while Leicestershire Police has referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct regarding its handling of the incident.
Jon Ruben remanded into custody on child cruelty charges after children fell ill at summer camp | UK News
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A man has been remanded into custody charged with child cruelty offences after allegedly lacing sweets with sedatives.
Jon Ruben, 76, appeared at Leicester Magistrates’ Court on Saturday after youngsters fell ill at a summer camp in Stathern, Leicestershire.
He has been charged with three counts of wilfully assaulting, ill-treating, neglecting, abandoning or exposing children in a manner likely to cause them unnecessary suffering or injury to health.
The charges relate to three boys at the camp between 25-29 July.
Ruben spoke only to confirm his name, age and address.
Police received a report of children feeling unwell at a camp being held at Stathern Lodge, near Melton in Leicestershire, last Sunday.
Officers said paramedics attended the scene and eight boys – aged between eight and 11 – were taken to hospital as a precaution, as was an adult. They have since been discharged.
Police said the “owners and operators of Stathern Lodge are independent from those people who use or hire the lodge and are not connected to the incident”.
Leicestershire Police has referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct over its handling of the incident.
Ruben will next appear at Leicester Crown Court on 29 August.
