Exclusive:
Jon Ruben, 76, was detained on Monday after eight youngsters and an adult were taken to hospital after falling unwell. We can reveal the pensioner, of Nottingham, is a retired vet who later became an early years primary school teacher and church youth worker
The pensioner charged with poisoning children at a Christian summer camp can today be unmasked by the Mirror.
Jon Ruben, 76, was detained on Monday after eight youngsters and an adult were taken to hospital after falling unwell. The pensioner, from Nottingham, is a retired vet who later became an early years primary school teacher and church youth worker.
The dad-of-two is understood to have administered poison or a noxious substance to kids staying at Stathern Lodge, a residential activity centre used by church groups near Melton Mowbray, Leics. He is listed as a trustee of Stathern Children’s Holiday Fund, a charity linked to the site, offering subsidised holidays for underprivileged young people.
Leicestershire Police this afternoon announced that Mr Ruben had been charged with child cruelty offences. The 76-year-old will be charged with three offences of wilful ill treatment of a child relating to three boys. He will appear before Leicester Magistrates on Saturday, August 2.
Janine McKinney, Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS East Midlands, said: “The Crown Prosecution Service has authorised the prosecution of a 76-year-old man with child cruelty offences following a police investigation into a summer camp held at Stathern Lodge, Leicestershire.
“This decision has been made after reviewing a file of evidence from Leicestershire Police. Jonathon Ruben will be charged with three offences of wilful ill treatment of a child relating to three boys. He will appear at Leicester Magistrates’ Court on Saturday August 1.
“This has been an extremely upsetting and shocking moment for the community, and especially for the children and parents most directly affected.
“We would like to remind all concerned that there are now active criminal proceedings against Mr Ruben and he has the right to a fair trial. There must be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online that may in any way prejudice these proceedings.”
According to a document shared online by the Vet Times in 2012, Mr Ruben ran a lab in Herefordshire specialising in small animal medicine, completed a PhD on viruses in chickens and later owned a veterinary practice with four branches in Nottingham. He re-qualified as an early years primary teacher in 1995 and now works as a children and youth leader at a church in the city.
He is understood to have been supervising a group of youngsters from the church on a trip to the holiday camp site in Stathern when the poisonings took place. His biography added: “I was heavily into sport – mountaineering, hockey and squash, but, following my knee replacement, have settled for cycling, skiing and running children’s clubs.”
East Midlands Ambulance Service set up a triage centre in nearby Plungar after the incident on Monday, before taking the stricken youngsters and one adult to hospital. They have all since been discharged.
Neighbours described seeing parents arriving in panic. June Grant, 83, a former bookings secretary at the hall, said: “There were so many sirens. You could hear the ambulances and police cars whizzing around the village. It was scary but such good news that the children are OK.”
A 28-year-old woman added: “We saw all the ambulances and police cars outside. All the kids were very guarded. They would not let anybody near it. Everybody was pretty stressed out.” Local Tory MP Ed Argar, said yesterday: “The reports are clearly shocking and deeply concerning. Our thoughts are with the young people affected.”
Leicestershire Police Assistant Chief Constable James Avery yesterday would not reveal the ages of the children or where they were from. Mr Avery added: “The investigation is being led by the East Midlands Special Operations Unit’s Major Incident Team.”
Senior investigating officer Det Insp Neil Holden added: “We understand the concern this incident will have caused parents, guardians and the surrounding community. We are in contact with the parents and guardians of all children concerned.”