A person who spiked candy with sleeping medication and provided them to youngsters at a summer camp in Leicestershire has confessed to sexual offences against two boys who were nine and 10.
Jon Ruben was taken into custody after eight minors and one adult experienced illness at the location in July.
The 76-year-old, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty to a total of 17 charges when he appeared at the courthouse on Friday.
Yet, he disputed one of the sexual offences he was facing, which was concerning a young boy.
The defendant was held in detention prior to a additional proceeding on late November.
'Candy game'
Mary Prior KC, presenting evidence, detailed Ruben's offending to the legal proceedings.
She said his victims were children from difficult backgrounds who were participating in a summer camp which he operated.
The defendant played a "treat game" with the youngsters, the legal counsel explained, in which he would go into the sleeping quarters when they were preparing to sleep and ask them to consume candy "as quickly as they can".
She informed the proceedings Ruben had engaged in this activity with the young males "for many years", and minors had previously fallen ill the next day.
She said the defendant had been successful in rationalizing this for many years as the children being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepchild had suspicions in summer 2025.
The prosecutor added: "Recently" his stepchild had concerns about what was going on, for good reason.
"They chose" to investigate in the individual's items."
The prosecutor said objects including lubricant, Vaseline and injection devices were discovered, and his stepchild notified the police about his concerns.
She explained the defendant proceeded to conduct the "sweet game" with six children that night - that Saturday - and they were everyone unwell the subsequent day.
"The police had not responded by that point," she stated further.
The oversight body, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, earlier informed that it was investigating the police response of the situation.
The prosecutor explained the children were struggling to walk due to their condition, so the family member contacted the law enforcement a second time.
She explained the defendant then engaged in the "treat game" in a area of five children.
