A 76-year-old man has been charged with child cruelty offences after children fell ill at a summer camp in Leicestershire. Jon Ruben appeared at Leicester Magistrates' Court on Saturday, where he was remanded in custody and ordered to appear at Leicester Crown Court on August 29.
Ruben faces three counts of wilfully assaulting, ill-treating, neglecting, abandoning or exposing children in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury to health. The charges relate to three boys who became unwell while staying at Stathern Lodge in Stathern, north Leicestershire, between July 25 and July 29.
The court heard the incident involved sweets allegedly being laced with sedatives. Ruben, of Ruddington, Nottinghamshire, spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and address during the four-minute hearing, giving no indication of his plea.
Leicestershire Police responded to reports of children feeling unwell at the camp, with eight boys aged eight to 11 and one adult admitted to hospital as a precaution before being discharged. Ruben was arrested on Monday evening at a nearby pub on suspicion of administering poison with intent to injure, aggrieve or annoy.
Neighbours described distressed parents outside a village hall in nearby Plungar, used as a triage centre. The Independent Office for Police Conduct is investigating Leicestershire Police's handling of the incident after officers allegedly gave conflicting accounts of when it occurred. Police confirmed the owners of Stathern Lodge are not being investigated.
