John Ruben

John Ruben, a 76-year-old man from Nottinghamshire, has admitted to a series of serious sexual offences against children at a holiday camp he ran for over 27 years. The case came to light following incidents at Stathern Lodge on Canal Lane in Stathern, near Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire, where Ruben was in charge of supervising young boys.

Prosecutor Mary Prior KC outlined during the hearing at Leicester Crown Court that Ruben had a long history of children falling ill at the camp. Ruben devised a so-called 'sweet game' in which he entered the children's bedrooms and instructed them to eat sticky sweets quickly while chewing them thoroughly. These sweets were laced with tranquillising drugs, causing the boys to feel unwell the following day, which Ruben dismissed as them being 'overwrought'. On Sunday, 27 July, multiple children became ill, prompting emergency services to attend the scene the next day. Eight boys, aged between eight and 11, along with one adult, were taken to hospital as a precaution but were later discharged.

The investigation intensified earlier this year when Ruben's stepson grew suspicious and contacted the police. Upon searching the premises, officers discovered items belonging to Ruben, including baby oil, syringes containing white powder, and sweets laced with drugs. Ruben, residing at Wayte Court in Ruddington, Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty to sexual assault of a child under 13, assault of a child under 13 by penetration, eight counts of child cruelty, three counts of making indecent images of children, and four drugs-related charges.

Ruben was remanded in custody following his admissions, with a further hearing scheduled for 28 November at Leicester Crown Court, where he will appear via prison video-link. The court heard that the rented premises at Stathern Lodge were not officially connected to the camp, but Ruben enforced the rules and had unchecked access to the children over many years.