Midland Camp Leader Receives Lengthy Prison Sentence for Horrific Child Abuse
A former veterinary surgeon and summer camp leader from the Midlands has been handed a substantial prison term after being convicted of drugging young boys with sweets and subjecting them to sexual assaults. The disturbing case, which unfolded at Stathern Lodge in Stathern, Leicestershire, has sent shockwaves through the local community and highlighted the profound breach of trust involved.
Chilling Details of the "Sweet Game" Abuse
Jon Ruben, aged 76, employed a methodical and calculated approach to his crimes. He laced sweets with tranquilising drugs and administered them to boys aged between eight and eleven years old during what he deceitfully termed "a sweet game." This sinister activity took place at a summer camp where Ruben held a position of authority. In a further act of manipulation, he also drugged his wife, Susan Ruben, with temazepam last summer to ensure she remained unconscious while he carried out the assaults.
The investigation was triggered when Ruben's stepson discovered suspicious items at the camp, including baby oil and syringes containing a white powder. Several children fell ill after participating in the so-called game, with witnesses reporting them "walking into walls and in the wrong direction" the following morning.
Court Sentencing and Victim Impact
At Leicester Crown Court, Judge Timothy Spencer KC sentenced Ruben to 23 years and 10 months in prison, with an additional period on licence bringing the total sentence to 31 years and eight months. The judge described Ruben's actions as involving "careful, cynical, chilling preparation and by manipulation" to achieve sexual gratification. He formally declared Ruben a dangerous offender, stating there was a clear risk he would cause serious harm to others if given the opportunity.
The emotional toll on the victims and their families was laid bare in court. Parents of the abused children nodded and wiped away tears as the sentence was delivered. In a powerful joint statement, the families expressed their devastation, saying their children had "lost their innocence, their confidence and their trust." One mother delivered a raw victim impact statement, directly addressing Ruben in court.
Extensive Charges and Ongoing Investigation
Ruben pleaded guilty to a catalogue of serious offences, including:
- 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
- Four drugs charges
- Administering a poison to his partner
Prosecutor Mary Prior KC revealed that Ruben had abused his cloak of Christianity and position of trust to poison ten boys for the purpose of sexual abuse. She noted that his later career retraining had deliberately given him access to prepubescent children, and he had used his veterinary knowledge to refine the use of sedatives for his offences.
Leicestershire Police have confirmed that their investigation into Ruben's crimes remains "very much ongoing." The case involved eight children being taken to hospital, with the sedative liquid Xanax identified as having been used on some victims.
Susan Ruben, who spoke of feeling "completely betrayed," labelled her husband a "sadistic, monstrous paedophile" who had spent decades constructing a facade of respectability. The court heard how Ruben, who showed no reaction as he was sentenced, had systematically destroyed young lives through his predatory and calculated behaviour.
