A person who laced candy with sleeping medication and gave them to minors at a youth camp in Leicestershire has confessed to sexual crimes against two boys both between nine and ten.
Jon Ruben was detained after eight children and one adult became sick at Stathern Lodge in the summer month.
The elderly man, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty to a total of 17 charges when he stood at the courthouse on the end of the week.
Nevertheless, he disputed one of the sexual offences he was charged with, which was against a nine-year-old boy.
Ruben was kept in jail before a subsequent court date on late November.
'Candy game'
The legal representative, prosecuting, described the defendant's actions to the court.
She said his those affected were disadvantaged youngsters who were staying at a summer program which he managed.
The defendant engaged in a "sweet game" with the minors, Mrs Prior explained, in which he would access the boys' rooms when they were preparing to sleep and ask them to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".
She stated to the judge Ruben had conducted this practice with the young males "repeatedly", and children had previously become sick the following morning.
She said the man had been capable of justifying this for many years as the youngsters being "overexcited from fun", until his stepson had suspicions in July 2025.
Mrs Prior KC stated further: "In the summer" his stepchild had worries about the activities, with valid cause.
"They resolved" to have a look in the individual's items."
Mrs Prior KC explained objects including lubricant, petroleum jelly and medical needles were discovered, and his stepson alerted the authorities about his concerns.
She said the defendant continued to engage in the "sweet game" with six children that night - Saturday 26 July - and they were all ill the subsequent day.
"The police had not arrived by that point," she continued.
The oversight body, the investigative body, had stated that it was investigating law enforcement's management of the events.
Mrs Prior stated the minors were unable to walk properly due to their condition, so the stepson called the police a second time.
She said Ruben then engaged in the "treat game" in a area of five minors.
