A man who laced candy with sedative and provided them to minors at a summer camp in Leicestershire has confessed to sexual crimes against two boys both nine and ten years old.
Jon Ruben was detained after eight youngsters and a grown-up became sick at the location in mid-summer.
The 76-year-old, from that region, pleaded guilty to a total of 17 charges when he appeared at the courthouse on recently.
Nevertheless, he denied one of the sexual offences he was charged with, which was concerning a young boy.
The accused was kept in jail prior to a additional proceeding on 28 November.
'Treat game'
The prosecutor, presenting evidence, described the criminal behavior to the legal proceedings.
She explained his victims were under-privileged children who were participating in a summer camp which he managed.
The defendant played a "sweet game" with the youngsters, the prosecutor stated, in which he would go into the boys' rooms when they were settling down and tell them to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".
She told the court the defendant had conducted this practice with the children "repeatedly", and youngsters had previously fallen ill the following morning.
She stated the defendant had been able to explain this for many years as the children being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepchild had worries in summer 2025.
The prosecutor added: "This year his stepson had suspicions about what was going on, with valid cause.
"They resolved" to investigate in the man's possessions."
The legal counsel said objects including infant oil, ointment and injection devices were found, and his family member alerted the authorities about his suspicions.
She explained the defendant proceeded to play the "candy game" with six boys that night - July 26th - and they were all ill the next day.
"The police had not responded by that stage," she continued.
The oversight body, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, had stated that it was investigating Leicestershire Police's handling of the situation.
The prosecutor stated the youngsters were having difficulty walking due to their condition, so the stepson called the authorities a second time.
She stated the defendant then played the "sweet game" in a space of five youngsters.
