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You can read more on the sentencing of Jon Ruben here.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has just released a number of images of items seized as part of the investigation into Jon Ruben.

This includes needles, Vaseline and baby oil.

Image source, CPS

The CPS said the discovery of syringes and a supply of various drugs and sweets at Ruben's home "provided compelling evidence that he was using the drugged sweets to enable him to commit sexual offences".

Image source, CPS

According to the CPS, authorities were notified when camp volunteers raised concerns about the children's welfare the morning after the abuse took place.

A statement said: "While Ruben was supervising activities with children away from the camp, witnesses discovered syringes and drugs among Ruben's possessions. That witness, a relative of Ruben, then raised suspicion about the discovery."

The Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Safeguarding Children Partnerships - which includes the city and county councils, the NHS via the integrated care board (ICB) and Nottinghamshire Police - released a statement ahead of Ruben's sentencing today.

"All agencies are focused on the children and families involved to support their welfare and ensure their safeguarding," it said.

"Any previous involvement Jon Ruben had with young people, including employment as a teacher at schools in the city and county, is the subject of an ongoing police investigation.

"There will also be a comprehensive multi-agency review commissioned by the Safeguarding Children Partnerships with the findings published in full."

Holden said the investigation into Jon Ruben remains "very much ongoing", with the force working alongside Nottinghamshire Police to contact schools and youth organisations in the Nottinghamshire area, which Ruben is known to have been involved with across the past 20 or more years.

He said: "I want to be open that we are under no illusion that we may never have the full answer regarding his crimes during previous years. Only Ruben knows that.

"However, what I can say is that our investigation does very much remain ongoing.

"Our ongoing investigation continues to focus on Ruben's background and making contact with the schools, agencies and organisations we know he has been involved in to provide help, advice and support, and to investigate any further information which we receive.

"Our public portal, external also remains open for people to make contact. Please know that we are here to speak to anyone who may have concerns that they have been a victim or witness of Ruben's crimes previously, that their child could be a victim or who has any information."

Parents of children who were drugged and sexually assaulted by summer camp leader Jon Ruben saw him as a "pillar of the community" and had "immense" trust in him as a local church member, a detective has said.

More than 40 youngsters were at the Stathern Children's Holiday Fund camp, run by Ruben, during one weekend last summer when eight children and one adult were taken to hospital after becoming unwell.

Speaking ahead of Ruben's sentencing, temporary Det Ch Insp Neil Holden (pictured above), from Leicestershire Police, said the former vet and teacher was well-known to parents and they "trusted him completely" because he was involved in a number of local churches and schools.

Holden said: "He was seen as a man doing a lot of good for children in the community.

"A man seen as almost... a pillar of the community and he was trusted by everybody.

"The children and the parents talk about how that trust has been shattered. They had an immense amount of trust in Jon Ruben.

"They can't understand how he's broken that trust in such a severe and horrific way.

"A lot of the parents blame themselves. They blame themselves for trusting Jon Ruben, they blame themselves for allowing their children to go away and be supervised by Jon Ruben.

"There's only one person to blame for this, and that is Jon Ruben."

Following Ruben's sentencing, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has released a statement, saying the camp leader "used the positions he had secured for himself to gain access to children".

Janine McKinney, chief crown prosecutor for CPS East Midlands, said: "Jon Ruben posed as a leader in his faith community and a dedicated Christian volunteer.

"The reality was that under the respectable veneer was a relentless predator, using the positions he had secured for himself to gain access to children."

She said the events of last summer were "truly shocking", adding: "Ruben showed complete disregard for his victims. These were children entrusted into his care.

"He betrayed that trust to satisfy his own selfish desires, leaving the victims sick and traumatised and their families devastated by the betrayal.

"I hope that seeing their abuser jailed will help them move on from this ordeal."

An additional image released by Leicestershire Police shows where an incision mark was made on one of the drug-laced sweets.

The game itself involved the children chewing and swallowing three sweets that they unwrapped in advance, the court heard.

"The quickest one to eat all three sweets won a prize," the prosecution said earlier today.

Image source, Leicestershire Police

After Ruben's 17 guilty pleas in November, Bishop Paul Williams issued a statement to Diocesan Synod, external.

It said: "I am profoundly shocked by the terrible abuse of children admitted by Jon Ruben.

"First and foremost, our thoughts are with the children and families affected by these appalling crimes. The abuse of trust and harm to the vulnerable is horrific in any setting, but it is especially shocking when it happens in a context that should have been safe and nurturing."

The statement went on to say that Ruben was a member of the PCC at St Peter's Church in Ruddington - where Ruben resided - and also a volunteer working with young people in the church.

It urged anyone who may have been affected to contact its Diocesan Safeguarding Team.

As previously reported, a total of 62 sweets - similar to the ones used to play the "sweet game" with the boys - were recovered from Jon Ruben and sent away for forensic testing.

All of the sweets had been laced with flubromazolam, also known as liquid Xanax.

This photograph, released by Leicestershire Police, shows the sweets that were seized during the investigation.

Image source, Leicestershire Police

The Hope Church in Clifton, Nottingham, has released a statement after the sentencing of Jon Ruben.

It said Ruben worked as its children and youth worker from 2010 to 2016.

"We remain profoundly shocked by the depravity of these crimes, the details of which continue to emerge," a spokesperson said.

"That he [Ruben] exploited the trust placed in him as someone professing Christian faith make this betrayal all the more grievous. These are terrible crimes, and our hearts break for the children and victims who are suffering as a result and for their families. We recognise that no sentence can take away what the victims have endured.

"As a church leadership, we first learned of the allegations through press reports in the summer of 2025.

"We have no known records within our safeguarding files that any concerns were raised, or offences occurred in connection with our church during his tenure. However, we recognise that his role brought him into contact with children and young people, and we take that responsibility very seriously. That is why our trustees are undertaking an internal review of our safeguarding practices, to ensure we learn everything we can."

Police have also released footage of an interview with Ruben, who refused to comment when asked several questions about why a number of children at the camp had become unwell.

After Jon Ruben was sentenced to more than 23 years in prison for his abuse of children, here's a recap what Judge Timothy Spencer KC told the court during his sentencing remarks:

• Judge Timothy Spencer KC described Ruben as "highly intelligent"
• He told the court Ruben breached safeguarding procedures, which the defendant had "presumably contributed to"
• Spencer said Ruben "lied and lied" when the police held an emergency interview
• The court has heard Ruben applied in writing to join an online paedophile group

• He said Ruben "espoused Christianity" and used his religion and his regard in the church to get into "close proximity to boys"
• Ruben misused his veterinary knowledge and used the dark web to access drugs, Spencer told the court

The force has also released footage of the moment Ruben was arrested.

Here is the first custody image of Jon Ruben, released by Leicestershire Police.

Image source, Leicestershire Police

The judge has concluded the hearing and the courtroom has cleared.

The families of the victims left the room quickly following the sentence.

As the sentence was passed, Ruben looked forward towards the judge as he learned of his fate.

He was emotionless as he left the dock.

Judge Timothy Spencer KC has sentenced Jon Ruben to 23 years and 10 months in prison.

Continuing to pass sentence, Spencer tells Ruben he has "anxiously and seriously considered imposing a sentence of life imprisonment".

"I have decided to hold back from that," he said.

"There are two things that have saved you - firstly your pleas of guilty, that should bring tangible credit."

He said Ruben was a "risk taker throughout life", and that in his view would "continue to take risks".

Spencer added: "I have no hesitation in concluding you are dangerous within the meaning of the law."

Judge Timothy Spencer KC said he had seen a lot of "noise" regarding wider conduct that might have aroused suspicion, but would only sentence for the "proven offences and nothing more".

He said "severe psychological harm" was caused to the victims and that Ruben used a space - their dormitory - where the children should have been safe.

The judge said he was "quite satisfied" that the harm caused was the highest possible.

Reacting to mitigation put forward by Ruben's defence lawyer, Thomas Schofield KC, the judge said "over time", he believed Ruben had "come to have some insight into the enormity of what he has done".

Addressing Ruben, he added: "You have no previous convictions, a credit for that must be tempered by the conduct you have admitted to the psychiatrist and probation.

"There are positive aspects to your character and I have read and taken on board the references provided.

"In your earlier life, you made a positive contribution to society but it seems to me you have fundamentally lost your way in recent years.

"I accept you regret it and are remorseful for it."