A British court on Friday handed down a 23-year, 10-month prison sentence in the Jon Ruben sexual abuse suit, closing a harrowing chapter involving drugged candy, betrayal of trust and calculated abuse at a children’s summer camp.
Jon Ruben, a 76-year-old retired veterinarian, was convicted of drugging young boys with sedatives hidden in sweets before sexually assaulting them during a weekend retreat in England last year.
Hospitalizations Spark Arrest
The case unraveled in July when eight boys between the ages of 8 and 11, along with one adult, were rushed to a hospital. Authorities soon discovered the children had ingested sedatives. Suspicion quickly focused on Ruben.
He was arrested and later pleaded guilty in November to 17 charges. The counts included sexual assaults on two children under 13 and eight offenses of child cruelty.
In a further admission that stunned the court, Ruben acknowledged poisoning his wife, Susan Ruben, to prevent her from waking while he carried out the assaults.
