A 76-year-old man has been charged with child cruelty offences after eight boys became unwell at a summer camp in Leicestershire. Jonathon Ruben will appear in court on Saturday following the incident at Stathern Lodge.
Leicestershire Police received a report on Sunday that children at the summer camp in Canal Lane, Stathern, had fallen ill. Eight boys aged between eight and 11, along with one adult, were taken to hospital as a precaution but have all since been discharged.
Court appearance scheduled
Ruben, of Landmere Lane, Ruddington, Nottingham, faces three counts of wilful ill treatment relating to three boys at the summer camp between July 25 and July 29. The Crown Prosecution Service confirmed the charges on Friday.
He was remanded into custody and will appear at Leicester Magistrates' Court on Saturday. Ruben was originally arrested on Monday evening at a pub on suspicion of administering poison or a noxious thing with intent to injure, aggrieve or annoy.
Maximum 14-year sentence
Sentencing Council guidelines state that ill treatment of a child can result in a maximum sentence of 14 years' imprisonment under the Children and Young Persons Act 1933. The charges follow a police investigation into the summer camp incident.
Leicestershire Police has referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) over its handling of the incident. The force originally said the incident happened on Monday before amending it to Sunday, and it remains unclear whether officers only responded on Monday.
Investigation into police response
Janine McKinney, chief crown prosecutor for CPS East Midlands, said the decision to prosecute was made after reviewing evidence from Leicestershire Police. She described the incident as "extremely upsetting and shocking" for the community and families affected.
McKinney warned against any reporting or online commentary that could prejudice the criminal proceedings. She emphasised that Ruben has the right to a fair trial.
Lodge owners not connected
The IOPC confirmed it will independently investigate whether there were breaches of professional behaviour that resulted in delays to the police response. The investigation will examine if there was a failure to carry out duties and responsibilities regarding what was later declared a critical incident.
Leicestershire Police clarified that the "owners and operators of Stathern Lodge are independent from those people who use or hire the lodge and are not connected to the incident". The lodge operates as a venue that can be hired by external groups.
(PA) Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
