Jon Ruben, 76, has pleaded guilty to drugging and sexually assaulting two boys aged nine and ten at a summer camp in Leicestershire. The offences took place at Stathern Lodge, where Ruben was arrested in July 2025 after eight children and one adult fell ill.
At Leicester Crown Court on Friday, Ruben admitted 17 charges, including sexual assault of a child under 13, assault by penetration, eight counts of child cruelty, three counts of making indecent images of children, and four drugs offences. He denied one additional sexual offence against a nine-year-old boy, and prosecutors have two weeks to decide whether to proceed.
Prosecutor Mary Prior KC told the court that Ruben had run the holiday camp for at least 27 years and had a 'long history' of children falling ill. He played what he called a 'sweet game', giving children sticky sweets to eat quickly. Prior said children often felt ill the next day, but Ruben dismissed it as them being 'overwrought'.
Concerns were raised by Ruben's stepson, who discovered baby oil, syringes with white powder, and other items in his belongings. On 26 July, Ruben played the 'sweet game' with six boys, all of whom were ill the next morning, some unable to walk. He then repeated the game with five children before being arrested at a nearby pub.
Eight children were taken to hospital, and liquid Xanax was found to have been used on some victims. Prior said the drugs were crushed and injected into sweets, which could have caused heart damage or death. Analysis of Ruben's devices found 50 category A indecent videos of children, the most serious classification.
Leicestershire police confirmed that the owners of Stathern Lodge were not connected to the incident. Temporary DC I Neil Holden described the case as 'horrific, complex and emotional', adding that the force continues to support the young victims and their families.
