Summer camp poison suspect, 76, was arrested in pub car park three miles from site where eight children were rushed to hospital after falling ill

Daily Mail​

3 days ago

A 76-year-old pensioner was arrested over a suspected holiday camp poisoning in a pub car park three miles from where children fell ill and eight were hospitalised.
Leicestershire Police have revealed they were called to a report of youngsters feeling unwell at a camp in Stathern, near Melton Mowbray.
Residents in the nearby village of Plungar have described 'chaotic' scenes following the suspected poisoning - in what was described as 'every parent's worst nightmare'.
The suspect was arrested on Monday afternoon in the car park of the Anchor Inn at Plungar, about three miles from the 700-population Leicestershire village of Stathern.
Paramedics helped set up a triage centre to assess all children present at the camp.
Staff at the pub declined to comment today but a source told the Mail: 'He's not a patron there and has no ties to this village as far as I know.
'He hadn't been inside the pub. Apparently the police were on the scene very quickly and detained him while he was still in the car park.'
Villagers in Plungar told how the narrow lane on which the village hall is situated was filled with police and ambulances.
Paramedics from the East Midlands Ambulance Service also attended and helped set up a triage centre to assess all children present at the camp - police are now investigating
One resident said: 'There must've been about 20 children taken inside. Nobody told us what was going on.
'Then later in the day we saw parents arriving to collect their children. Some of them looked a bit shaken.'
Another villager said there were at least two police cars and another two ambulances.
June Grant, 83, former bookings secretary at its village hall, said: 'I live near the village hall and there were so many sirens.
'You could hear the ambulances and police cars whizzing around the village. It was pretty scary but such good news that the children are okay.'
Another resident, who lives near the hall, said: 'It was pretty chaotic with emergency workers running around everywhere.
'I saw a few children in tears as they walked into the hall.
'It's like every parent's worst nightmare dropping your child at summer camp and then being told they might have been poisoned.'
Another local resident said: 'I've lived here 30 years and I've never heard of anything like that.
'Through the holidays kids come here and do activities - inner city kids, they bring them for the nature.
'There's a wooded area at the back and they've created paths.'
Officers said a 76-year-old man was arrested at the camp on suspicion of administering poison or a 'noxious thing' with intent to injure, aggrieve or annoy, and he remained in custody.
Leicestershire Police said in a statement: 'Following an initial assessment, eight children were taken to hospital as a precaution and have all since been discharged.
'Officers have contacted the parents or guardians of those children who were taken to hospital.'
The investigation is now being led by the East Midlands Special Operations Unit's Major Incident Team.
Detectives and uniformed officers from the Melton and Rutland Neighbourhood Policing Area remain in Stathern today carrying out further enquiries.
Officers are also intending to provide 'reassurance to families affected as well as the local community', Leicestershire Police added
They are also intending to provide 'reassurance to families affected as well as the local community', Leicestershire Police added.
Det Insp Neil Holden, the senior investigating officer, said: 'We understand the concern this incident will have caused to parents, guardians and the surrounding community.
'We are in contact with the parents and guardians of all children concerned.
'Please be reassured that we have several dedicated resources deployed and are working with partner agencies including children's services to ensure full safeguarding is provided to the children involved.
'We also remain at the scene to carry out enquiries into the circumstances of what has happened and to continue to provide advice and support in the area.
'This is a complex and sensitive investigation and we will continue to provide updates to both parents and guardians and the public as and when we can.'
The force told of having referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct watchdog, saying this was related to the 'circumstances of the initial police response'.
The IOPC said: 'We received a conduct referral on Tuesday from Leicestershire Police relating to their handling of concerns passed to them over the wellbeing of a group of children.
'Our assessment team has examined all available evidence and concluded the matter should be independently investigated by the IOPC.
'The investigation will look at whether there were any breaches of professional behaviour - namely a failure to carry out duties and responsibilities - that resulted in a delay in Leicestershire Police's response to what was later declared a critical incident.'
A dedicated Major Incident Public Portal (MIPP) has been created.
Anyone with any information in relation to the investigation is asked to report online here: https://mipp.police.uk/operation/33EM25I63-PO1.