Police officers investigated the camp’s abuse response

Two police officers and five staff members are under a gross abuse investigation in response to safety concerns at a summer camp where children were given candy laced with tranquilizers, some with sexual abuse.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said Nottinghamshire Police received a concern for the safety of children at Stathorn Lodge on 27 July 2025 before 19:00 BST, which was passed on to Leicestershire Police.

The following day, 21 hours later, the IOPC said Leicestershire Police attended and arrested John Reuben, who has been in prison for more than 23 years, on Friday.

The IOPC has informed both army officers and personnel that they are under investigation.

Two Leicestershire Police officers and three staff members are under gross misconduct investigation, the IOPC said, “for allegedly failing to review information sent through Nottinghamshire Police, not progressing safety concerns immediately and if this may have delayed officers going to Stearns Lodge.”

Meanwhile, two Nottinghamshire Police staff have also been handed gross misconduct notices over “the grading of initial calls to the force, how the information from the call was risk assessed and managed, and if it caused any delays in the police response”.

The IOPC investigation, which focused on the incident between the initial call to police and the officers who attended, follows a 29 July referral from Leicestershire Police.

IOPC director Emily Barry said: “We know that this incident has directly affected children and families in particular.

“Our initial inquiries have expanded significantly and we are now looking at how to respond to serious concerns raised by both Nottinghamshire Police and Leicestershire Police about the children who stayed at Stathorn Lodge last summer.”

Summer camp leader Reuben – a former vet, teacher and church administrator – used his “cloak of Christianity” to attack vulnerable children, Leicester Crown Court heard.

The 76-year-old, from Ruddington, Nottinghamshire, had helped run the summer camp for at least 27 years, the court was told.

During the weekend of July 26 to 28 last year, he poisoned boys at the camp to sexually assault them, using liquid Xanax, which he bought on the dark web, claiming it was the sedative temazepam.

Outlining its case, the prosecution said Reuben’s “sweets poisoning skills” had been “honed over many years”.

Reuben would play a “sweet game” with the boys, during which he would go to their room when they were ready for bed, before telling them to eat the drug-laced sweets “as quickly as possible” – rewarding the winner with a chocolate bar the next morning.

Judge Timothy Spencer Casey said it was with “supreme irony” that Reuben was also the camp’s security chief.

Some of the boys fell ill after playing the game and were seen the next morning “walking on walls and in the wrong direction”, the court heard.

Reuben’s stepson James was disturbed by what he saw and called the police on more than one occasion to report his concerns.

Reuben was arrested while the group was having lunch in a nearby pub and 38 children were taken to the local village hall for medical triage.

In November, Reuben pleaded guilty to 17 felonies — including sexual abuse of a child under 13, aggravated assault on a child under 13, and eight counts of child cruelty.

Reuben also admitted an 18th offence, drugging his wife Susan to ensure she didn’t wake up.

In court, Susan labeled her husband of 24 years a “sad, monstrous pedophile,” adding that she had begun divorce proceedings.

Many of the victim’s distraught and angry parents also gave emotional testimony, some swearing at Reuben’s sentencing.

Susan said the camp, which she has been involved with for 34 years, was aimed at providing “moments of joy” to children from low-income families, who would not normally have the opportunity to spend holidays in rural areas.

“One moment, he was gathering the children around the campfire and the next, he was committing the most horrific crimes against the children and me,” she said.

The mother of one of Reuben’s victims swore several times as he sat in the dock.

“The name John makes me physically ill—and I’ve never felt so much hatred for you,” she said.

“You’ve had the most sleepless nights—but I bet you slept well.

“You make me feel like I’m grieving for someone alive. I can’t watch my son sleep without seeing your face.”

Leicestershire Police said a detailed investigation into Reuben was “very much ongoing”, adding that it was working with Nottinghamshire Police to liaise with schools and organizations he may have been in contact with.

A public portal was opened by the police for potential witnesses or victims or people including Reuben to contact them.

Assistant Chief Constable James Avery of Leicestershire Police said his focus “remains with the victims and their families involved in this investigation”.

He added: “An independent IOPC investigation is ongoing and we continue to co-operate with the IOPC as part of this.”

A spokesman for Nottinghamshire Police added: “The investigation is being led by the IOPC and we are therefore unable to comment at this stage.”

The IOPC said its investigation was carried out following a referral from Leicestershire Police on July 29 and the watchdog’s decision to investigate.

It added that based on information from Nottinghamshire Police, the IOPC did not consider that a referral from that force was necessary.

However, following an internal review – which Nottinghamshire Police shared with the IOPC – it advised the force that a referral should be made.

A referral was made in November, and an investigation into Nottinghamshire Police began the following month.

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