Overview
- Jon Ruben, 76, admitted 17 offences at Leicester Crown Court, including sexual assault of a child under 13, eight counts of child cruelty, three indecent‑images offences and four drugs charges.
- Prosecutors said he ran the camp for about 27 years and used a so‑called “sweet game,” injecting sweets with tranquilliser drugs to incapacitate children; tests on some boys detected liquid Xanax.
- Eight boys aged roughly eight to 11 and one adult were taken to hospital as a precaution, with reports of extreme drowsiness, vomiting and one child becoming unconscious.
- Police found injected sweets, drugs, syringes, lubricants and sex toys at Stathern Lodge, and his devices contained more than 50 category A indecent videos alongside other illegal images.
- Ruben was remanded in custody pending the 28 November hearing, and Leicestershire Police has referred its handling of the initial response to the IOPC for independent scrutiny.