In the UK, the leader of a Christian camp was convicted of a series of sexual crimes

In the UK, a court sentenced 76-year-old John Reuben, a retired veterinarian and church volunteer who ran the Stathern Lodge Christian camp. He was arrested in July 2025 after eight children fell ill at the camp and one adult.

The investigation found that Ruben added sedatives to the sweets to put the children to sleep, allowing him to commit sexual assault. The purpose of the sedation was to put all the boys to sleep so that the accused could undress them and choose which one to rape, prosecutor Mary Prior told the court. He also laced his wife’s tea with sedatives so she wouldn’t notice his nightly absences, while he himself took Viagra, which he bought on the darknet.

Ruben pleaded guilty to sexual assault of a child under 13, eight counts of child abuse, three counts of making indecent images of a minor and four counts of drug possession.

He was sentenced to 23 years and 10 months in prison, with an additional term of parole, which will make a total of 31 years and 8 months. He spent decades trying to create an image of a righteous, honest man, although in reality he was a sadistic and terrible pedophile, his wife Susan Ruben said in court. Police have been investigating Ruben’s alleged crimes against children for more than 20 years.

“John Ruben posed as a leader of his religious community and a dedicated Christian volunteer. In reality, under the respectable mask was a ruthless predator who used his positions to gain access to children,” said East Midlands Chief Prosecutor Janine McKinney.