An individual who contaminated treats with sleeping medication and provided them to minors at a youth camp in Leicestershire has admitted sexual offences against two boys aged nine and ten years old.
Jon Ruben was taken into custody after eight children and a grown-up became sick at Stathern Lodge in the summer month.
The senior citizen, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, confessed to a multiple criminal counts when he appeared at Leicester Crown Court on recently.
Yet, he denied a single sexual charge he was accused of, which was involving a young boy.
The accused was kept in jail before a subsequent court date on November 28th.
'Treat game'
Mary Prior KC, prosecuting, outlined the defendant's actions to the court.
She said his those affected were children from difficult backgrounds who were participating in a summer program which he ran.
The man played a "sweet game" with the minors, the prosecutor said, in which he would enter the boys' rooms when they were settling down and ask them to consume candy "as fast as possible".
She told the court Ruben had conducted this practice with the children "over an extended period", and minors had earlier experienced illness the next day.
She said the man had been able to explain this over a long period as the minors being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepchild had suspicions in July 2025.
Mrs Prior KC added: "In the summer" his family member had suspicions about the activities, justifiably.
"They decided to examine in the man's possessions."
The prosecutor stated items including baby oil, petroleum jelly and syringes were discovered, and his stepchild notified the police about his worries.
She said Ruben continued to conduct the "sweet game" with six children that time - July 26th - and they were all sick the next day.
"Law enforcement" had not gone out by that stage," she continued.
The police watchdog, the police conduct office, previously told that it was examining law enforcement's management of the situation.
The legal representative said the children were having difficulty walking due to being ill, so Ruben's stepson contacted the law enforcement again.
She explained Ruben then engaged in the "sweet game" in a room of five children.
