Police Officers Investigated Over Response to Summer Camp Abuse Scandal
Police officers and staff members from two separate forces are now under investigation for gross misconduct following serious failures in their response to a summer camp where children were drugged and sexually assaulted. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has launched a major inquiry into how Nottinghamshire Police and Leicestershire Police handled critical information about the safety of vulnerable children.
Jail Sentence for Perpetrator
Jon Ruben, a 76-year-old former veterinarian and teacher from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, was sentenced to 23 years and 10 months imprisonment at Leicester Crown Court on Friday. Ruben admitted to using what the court described as the "cloak of Christianity" to carry out sexual attacks on young boys at Stathern Lodge in Stathern, Leicestershire, during the summer of last year.
His crimes included 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 charges. In a particularly disturbing revelation, Ruben also admitted administering the sedative temazepam to his partner Susan Ruben to ensure she remained unconscious while he assaulted the children.
Police Response Failures Under Scrutiny
The IOPC investigation has revealed significant delays in police action despite Nottinghamshire Police receiving information on an evening in July last year that raised serious concerns about children's safety at the camp. This information was logged and passed to Leicestershire Police, but officers did not attend the scene until shortly after 4pm the following day, when they arrested Ruben.
According to the police watchdog, two Leicestershire Police officers and three staff members are being investigated for allegedly failing to review the information passed by Nottinghamshire Police and not progressing safeguarding concerns promptly. The IOPC is examining whether these failures delayed officers from attending Stathern Lodge sooner.
Multiple Forces Under Investigation
Two staff members at Nottinghamshire Police have also been served with gross misconduct notices regarding their handling of the initial emergency call. The investigation will examine how the call was graded, how information from the call was risk-assessed and managed, and whether this caused a delay in the police response.
Leicestershire Police referred itself to the IOPC over its handling of the incident in July, while the watchdog began investigating Nottinghamshire Police's actions in December. The IOPC has gathered extensive documentation regarding policies and procedures from both forces and has identified witnesses and obtained statements as part of their expanding inquiry.
Impact on Victims and Families
IOPC director Emily Barry stated: "We know that this incident has caused shock and distress, particularly to the children and families directly affected. Our initial inquiries have expanded significantly and we are now looking at the way both Nottinghamshire Police and Leicestershire Police responded to the very serious concerns raised about the children who were staying at Stathern Lodge last summer."
The investigation continues as authorities work to understand the full extent of the police response failures and ensure accountability for any misconduct that may have contributed to delays in protecting vulnerable children from further harm.
