Pensioner Charged After Children Fall Ill at Leicestershire Christian Camp

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An elderly man has been charged with child cruelty following an incident at a Christian summer camp in Leicestershire that left eight boys and one adult hospitalised. Jon Ruben, 76, of Ruddington, Nottinghamshire, was arrested after the group reportedly became unwell at the Stathern Lodge activity centre near Melton Mowbray. All have since been discharged from the hospital.

Leicestershire Police confirmed on Friday that Mr Ruben has been charged with three counts of wilful ill-treatment of a child, relating specifically to three boys attending the camp. He is due to appear before magistrates in Leicester on Saturday, 2 August. The investigation is being led by the East Midlands Special Operations Unit’s Major Incident Team.

The incident, which occurred on Monday, prompted a significant emergency services response. East Midlands Ambulance Service established a triage centre in nearby Plungar before transporting the affected children and adults to hospital for precautionary treatment. The children were all boys aged between eight and eleven.

Mr Ruben is listed as a trustee of Stathern Children’s Holiday Fund, a charity that organises low-cost holidays for disadvantaged children. He is understood to have been supervising a group from a Nottingham-based church where he serves as a youth leader. According to public records, Mr Ruben has a background in veterinary science, having run a laboratory in Herefordshire and operated a veterinary practice in Nottingham before retraining as a primary school teacher in the mid-1990s.

Neighbours in the village of Stathern described scenes of panic as emergency services arrived. June Grant, 83, a former bookings secretary for 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.” Another resident noted how “all the kids were very guarded” and said the area was locked down during the response.

A police spokesperson confirmed the nature of the charges and added: “The charges follow a report received on Sunday (27 July) that children at a summer camp being held at Stathern Lodge had become unwell.” The spokesperson also noted that Ruben had been remanded in custody.

Assistant Chief Constable James Avery declined to give further details about the children’s identities or where they were from, citing the ongoing nature of the inquiry. Senior investigating officer Detective Inspector Neil Holden said authorities were liaising closely with the families involved: “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.”

Conservative MP for Charnwood, Ed Argar, whose constituency includes nearby areas, described the case as “shocking and deeply concerning,” adding that his thoughts were with the children and their families.

No further information has been released regarding the substance allegedly involved or the circumstances leading to the children falling ill. The police investigation remains ongoing.