A Christian camp leader has been jailed for 23 years and 10 months for sexually abusing young boys after poisoning them with tranquillisers, as stated by The Guardian.
Jon Ruben, a 76-year-old retired veterinarian and church youth volunteer from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, used what Leicester Crown Court described as the “cloak of Christianity” to carry out assaults on vulnerable children.
Judge Spencer imposed the sentence, adding a further period on licence that brings the total to 31 years and eight months. The judge told Ruben the case was about “achieving sexual gratification by carrying out your sexual fantasies focused upon young boys through careful, cynical, chilling preparation and by manipulation”.
Ruben had previously pleaded guilty to a series of offences including 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.
The abuse centred on a summer camp, Stathern Lodge in Stathern, Leicestershire, where over the weekend of 26th to 28th July 2025, Ruben laced sweets with tranquilising drugs in what was called “a sweet game”. Prosecutor Mary Prior KC told the court the purpose was to ensure the boys were heavily asleep so Ruben could undress them and choose who to sexually abuse.
Prior added that Ruben also used sedatives in his wife’s tea so she would not notice his absence at night. He was arrested last July after eight children and one adult fell ill at the camp.
The court heard that Ruben used the dark web to buy what he believed was temazepam to sedate his victims, though one victim tested positive for liquid Xanax, according to the prosecution. It was also heard that he took Viagra to assist in his offending.
In a personal reaction, Susan Ruben told the court she felt “completely betrayed” by her husband, describing him as “a sadistic, monstrous paedophile” who had spent decades portraying himself as righteous and honourable.
Ruben was a member of the church council at St Peter’s in Ruddington where he volunteered with young people. Following his guilty plea in November, Paul Williams, the Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham, said he was “profoundly shocked”, noting that the abuse of trust was “especially shocking when it happens in a context that should have been safe and nurturing”.
Janine McKinney, the Chief Crown Prosecutor for the East Midlands, stated that Ruben had posed as a leader in his faith community but was in reality “a relentless predator” using his positions to access children.
Leicestershire Police indicated that their investigation is ongoing. Temporary DCI Neil Holden said they are continuing to focus on Ruben’s background over more than 20 years, contacting schools, agencies and organisations he was involved with to provide support and investigate further information.
A statement from the victims’ families, read outside court, said Ruben had portrayed himself as a good Christian man who could be trusted with children, but was actually “a devious child sexual predator”. They expressed anger and horror, stating his actions had taken away their children’s right to be safe and protected.
