Pensioner charged after Christian summer camp poisoning
A man has been charged with the alleged poisoning of children at a Christian summer camp.
Jon Ruben, 76, was arrested on Monday after eight children and an adult were hospitalised after falling ill. The pensioner, from Nottingham, is accused of administering poison or a noxious substance to children staying at Stathern Lodge, a residential activity centre used by church groups near Melton Mowbray, Leics.
He will face three counts of wilful ill treatment relating to three boys at a summer camp held at Stathern Lodge, according to the Crown Prosecution Service, reports the Mirror.
The East Midlands Ambulance Service established a triage centre in nearby Plungar following the incident on Monday, before transporting the affected youngsters and one adult to hospital. They have all since been discharged.
Local residents described witnessing panicked parents arriving. 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, commented yesterday: "The reports are clearly shocking and deeply concerning. Our thoughts are with the young people affected."
Leicestershire Police Assistant Chief Constable James Avery declined to disclose the ages of the children or their origins yesterday. 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 further stated: "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."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Leader Live
2 hours ago
- Leader Live
Police appeal in bid to locate Christian from Wrexham
26-year-old Christian, from Wrexham, was last seen leaving his home on Friday and was last seen wearing a black jacket with black trousers. North Wales Police are encouraging members of the public with any knowledge of Christian's whereabouts to contact them. A spokesperson for North Wales Police said: "Have you seen Christian? MOST READ: Wrexham midwives thanked as couple welcome baby Harper Met Office update weather warning as Storm Floris set to hit Flintshire Jail for man who burgled Wrexham home of elderly couple as they slept "26-year-old Christian from the Wrexham area was last seen leaving his home on foot on 01/08/2025. "He is described as being around 173cm tall with short straight blond hair and was last seen wearing a black jacket with black trousers and light blue trainers. "Anyone with information about Christian's whereabouts is urged to get in touch with officers on 101, or via the website, quoting reference number: 52523."
Wales Online
4 hours ago
- Wales Online
'Neighbours let kids play in my garden without permission - they won't stop'
'Neighbours let kids play in my garden without permission - they won't stop' The homeowner asked her neighbours to stop letting their kids play in her garden - they called her "unreasonable" Neighbours keep letting their kids play in my garden without asking (Image: SolStock via Getty Images) A homeowner has expressed her frustration after her neighbours repeatedly allowed their children to play in her garden without permission, leaving her at a loss for what to do. Seeking guidance on Reddit, the woman shared that when she confronted her neighbours about the issue, they labelled her "unreasonable" and insisted they should be able to send their kids over without checking first. She explained that she has invested "a lot of time and effort" into creating a "peaceful oasis" in her garden for her family's enjoyment. Despite this, her neighbours, who have three young children, seem to think it's acceptable to let their kids use her garden as their playground without seeking consent. The woman recounted how the neighbours "claim that it's just harmless fun, and the kids enjoy our garden." She noted that while she isn't opposed to sharing her space on occasion, she would much prefer it if they asked for permission beforehand. In her Reddit post, the user said: "My next-door neighbours have three young children who are always full of energy. Lately, they've been letting their kids play in our backyard without asking for our permission. They claim that it's just harmless fun, and the kids enjoy our garden," reports the Mirror. "Here's the thing: I don't mind sharing our space occasionally, but they've been doing this without any notice or asking for our consent. It's become a frequent occurrence, and it's starting to disrupt our peace and damage some of our plants and decorations." The homeowner said her neighbours let their kids into her garden without permission and won't stop (Image: Getty) She further mentioned that when she approached the neighbours to discuss the matter, she encountered opposition. Her neighbours "seemed offended" and said she was "being unreasonable." She added: "They argued that it's a shared space since our yards are adjacent." Concluding the post, she wrote: "I just want to maintain some control over my own space and ensure it's respected. Or am I overreacting, and should I be more lenient with the neighbour kids?" The post garnered thousands of responses, with many siding with the woman's desire to keep her garden private. Suggestions poured in about erecting fences to limit access, while others pondered how the neighbours would react if the roles were reversed. Amongst the feedback, concerns were voiced regarding potential injuries to the children on the woman's property. One person said: "If one of those kids gets injured on your property while playing without proper supervision, you could be held liable." Another added: "I'm not a lawyer, but I'd be concerned if one of the kids hurt themselves and any liability you may have, especially if you're not home. What if they break something, will they replace it. "No and each time you see them playing without permission tell them to leave or escort them home. You may need to get a fence." Article continues below A third added: "This is a liability. Build a fence. You don't want to be sued if their kids injure themselves on your property."
Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Massive manhunt launched after murdered man is found dead on riverside bench as extra police patrols are deployed to find his killer
A massive manhunt has been launched after a man was found dead on a riverside bench, with house-to-house enquiries taking place and extra police patrols deployed to find his killer. The murder investigation was launched after the man in his 50s was found dead on the canal footpath near the River Nene, Northampton, on Friday. Northamptonshire Police were called by East Midlands Ambulance Service at around 6.30pm after the man was discovered on a bench behind Auctioneers Court. The River Nene is shut off to pedestrians and river traffic between London Road bridge and Nunn Mills Road bridge and will likely remain closed until Tuesday evening while the search takes place. The police are currently appealing for witnesses or CCTV footage of the nearby area, specifically from those living in apartments that overlook the river. Senior Investigating Officer Detective Inspector Torie Harrison, from the East Midlands Special Operations Unit, said: 'Our investigation is continuing at pace and we have a dedicated team of officers working hard to establish the circumstances that have led to the man's death. 'Our thoughts and condolences are firmly with his family at this time and they are being supported by specially trained officers from the investigation team. 'Officers have been in the area today carrying out house-to-house enquiries and have spoken with a number of people. 'However, we are continuing to appeal for witnesses to come forward and we're particularly keen to locate any CCTV or other camera footage of the nearby area. 'There are a large number of apartments that overlook the river and the area near to where the man was found, and anyone from these residences, or anywhere else nearby, who may have camera footage or any other information, is urged to contact police as soon as possible. 'Any information, no matter how small, can help us piece together exactly what happened. 'We will continue to have an increased police presence in the area, and neighbourhood officers will be carrying out high-visibility patrols throughout the weekend to offer reassurance and support the community. If you have any concerns, please do speak to an officer.'
