KIDS' SWEETS WERE 'LACED WITH DRUGS'

BOYS aged between eight and 11 were given sweets laced with sedatives before falling ill at a summer camp, a court has heard.

- BY DAN WARBURTON and SASKIA ROWLANDS

Retired vet Jon Ruben, 76, appeared yesterday accused of child cruelty offences and was remanded in custody.

He was charged with three offences of wilful ill-treatment of a child, relating to three boys at the British camp from July 25 until last Tuesday.

Prosecutor Marc Thompson told the court that the allegations related to "sweets laced with sedatives".

Police received a report last Sunday that children at the camp, held in a lodge in Stathern, Leics, had become ill.