Summer camp sex offender Jon Ruben to be sentenced next year

A man who admitted sex offences against two boys after lacing sweets with tranquilliser at a summer camp has been told he will be sentenced next year.

Jon Ruben was arrested after eight children and one adult fell ill at Stathern Lodge in Leicestershire in July.

The 76-year-old, from Ruddington, Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty to 17 charges at Leicester Crown Court on 14 November but denied a sexual offence against a boy under 13.

On Thursday, Ruben was told the outstanding charge will lie on file and he will not face trial at a hearing at the same court. He is due to be sentenced on 6 February.

The judge, His Honour Timothy Spencer KC, told Ruben: “A significant sentence of imprisonment is coming your way, you understand that?”

Speaking via video link from HMP Peterborough, Ruben responded: “Yes your honour, I understand that.”

Prosecutor Mary Prior KC told the judge the outstanding count had been discussed with the victim’s family and the police before it was decided there was no public interest in proceeding with a trial.

He responded: “I commend that approach. You’re saving the family and the child from the obvious distress of a trial.”

Outlining the case against Ruben last month, prosecutors said he had run a holiday camp for at least 27 years with a “long history” of children feeling sick.

Mrs Prior KC said Ruben played a game in which he would go into the boys’ rooms when they were getting ready for bed and ask them to eat sweets “as quickly as they can”.

She told the court Ruben had played this game with the boys “for many years”, and children had previously fallen ill the following morning.

Mrs Prior said Ruben had been able to explain this away as the children being “overwrought by enjoyment”, until his stepson raised concerns in July.

A search of his belongings found items including baby oil, Vaseline and syringes, prompting the stepson to notify police.

Devices belonging to Ruben were later analysed by officers and found to contain more than 50 category A indecent videos of children, the most serious category.

The 17 charges admitted by Ruben were:

• One count of sexual assault of a child under 13
• One count of assault of a child under 13 by penetration
• Eight counts of cruelty to a person under 16 years, in relation to eight separate victims
• One count of acquiring or possession of dutiable goods, namely temazepam, by fraudulent intent
• Three counts of possession of a class C drug, namely flubromazolam, diazepam and temazepam
• Three counts of making indecent photographs of children