A 76-year-old man, Jon Ruben, appeared at Leicester Crown Court on Friday charged with three counts of wilfully assaulting, ill-treating, neglecting, abandoning or exposing children in a manner likely to cause them unnecessary suffering or injury to health, relating to a summer camp at Stathern Lodge in Canal Lane, Stathern, Leicestershire. He did not enter any pleas. A plea hearing was adjourned to 14 November, and a trial date of 27 January 2026 was set. The court heard the trial is expected to last four weeks. Ruben, of Wayte Court, Ruddington, Nottinghamshire, was remanded in custody.

Eight children, all boys aged eight to 11, and one adult, were taken to hospital as a precaution after police were notified on 27 July. Ruben appeared in the dock for a 16-minute hearing, wearing a dark grey sweatshirt, and spoke only to confirm his name and that he understood when the judge addressed him. He was remanded in custody until the plea hearing.

Police arrested him on suspicion of administering poison or a noxious substance with intent to injure, aggrieve or annoy in a nearby pub car park on the day after police were alerted to concerns about the children. Leicestershire Police has referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct over its handling of the incident. The force had originally said the incident happened on Monday 28 July, before amending it to Sunday 27 July. It is unclear whether officers attended only on the Monday, and whether that prompted the watchdog referral. The lodge’s owners and operators are not connected to the incident. Stathern Lodge is a converted farmhouse with a sports hall and catering facilities.