Abuse at a Converted Farmhouse
The crimes occurred during a single July weekend at Stathern Lodge, a converted farmhouse roughly 190 kilometers (120 miles) north of London. The facility, equipped with a sports hall and catering amenities, had been intended as a place of recreation. Instead, prosecutors said, it became the setting for carefully orchestrated abuse.
At Leicester Crown Court, Judge Timothy Spencer condemned Ruben’s actions as a calculated betrayal.
“You had a deliberate disregard for the welfare of victims,” Spencer said during sentencing.
Beyond the 23-year, 10-month prison term, the judge imposed an additional extended sentence “on license.” Should Ruben ever be released and reoffend, his total sentence could rise to 31 years and eight months.
“Ultimately, this case is about you achieving sexual gratification by carrying out your sexual fantasies focused upon young boys through careful, cynical, chilling preparation and by manipulation,” the judge said.
Ruben stood in the dock, hands clasped before him, showing no visible reaction as the sentence was delivered.
