An individual who contaminated candy with sleeping medication and distributed them to youngsters at a youth camp in Leicestershire has confessed to sexual crimes against two boys aged nine and 10.
Jon Ruben was arrested after eight children and a grown-up experienced illness at Stathern Lodge in mid-summer.
The 76-year-old, from the Nottinghamshire area, pleaded guilty to a series of 17 offences when he stood at the courthouse on the end of the week.
However, he denied one of the sexual offences he was charged with, which was involving a young boy.
The accused was kept in jail before a additional proceeding on November 28th.
'Sweet game'
Mary Prior KC, handling the case, outlined Ruben's offending to the legal proceedings.
She said his targets were under-privileged children who were staying at a summer camp which he managed.
Ruben played a "sweet game" with the minors, the prosecutor stated, in which he would access the sleeping quarters when they were preparing to sleep and ask them to eat sweets "as fast as possible".
She told the court the defendant had played this game with the young males "for many years", and children had earlier experienced illness the subsequent day.
She said Ruben had been capable of justifying this for many years as the minors being "overexcited from fun", until his stepchild had suspicions in July 2025.
Mrs Prior KC stated further: "In the summer" his stepson had worries about the activities, justifiably.
"They chose" to investigate in the man's possessions."
The prosecutor explained materials including infant oil, ointment and syringes were located, and his stepson alerted the authorities about his suspicions.
She said Ruben went on to conduct the "sweet game" with six youngsters that night - July 26th - and they were all ill the next day.
"Law enforcement" had not gone out by that time," she stated further.
The oversight body, the investigative body, earlier informed that it was investigating Leicestershire Police's handling of the events.
The prosecutor stated the children were struggling to walk due to their sickness, so the family member contacted the authorities a second time.
She explained the defendant then engaged in the "treat game" in a area of five youngsters.
