An individual who laced sweets with tranquilliser and gave them to minors at a summer camp in Leicestershire has pleaded guilty to sexual crimes against two young males both nine and ten years old.
Jon Ruben was arrested after eight children and one adult experienced illness at the facility in mid-summer.
The elderly man, from the Nottinghamshire area, confessed to a multiple criminal counts when he appeared at the judicial center on recently.
Nevertheless, he refused to admit one particular crime he was accused of, which was against a young boy.
The defendant was held in detention ahead of a subsequent court date on 28 November.
'Candy game'
The prosecutor, prosecuting, outlined the criminal behavior to the legal proceedings.
She said his targets were under-privileged children who were participating in a summer camp which he ran.
The defendant engaged in a "sweet game" with the children, the prosecutor said, in which he would go into the boys' rooms when they were settling down and tell them to ingest treats "as fast as possible".
She told the court the defendant had conducted this practice with the boys "over an extended period", and children had earlier experienced illness the subsequent day.
She stated the defendant had been able to explain this over a long period as the children being "overexcited from fun", until his family member had worries in summer 2025.
The prosecutor stated further: "Recently" his stepchild had concerns about the activities, with valid cause.
"They resolved" to have a look in the defendant's belongings."
The legal counsel said objects including lubricant, Vaseline and injection devices were discovered, and his stepchild notified the authorities about his suspicions.
She said the defendant went on to conduct the "sweet game" with six children that night - Saturday 26 July - and they were all sick the subsequent day.
"Law enforcement" had not gone out by that time," she continued.
The regulatory agency, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, previously told that it was reviewing Leicestershire Police's handling of the situation.
The legal representative stated the children were having difficulty walking due to their condition, so the stepson notified the police once more.
She stated Ruben then played the "sweet game" in a room of five youngsters.
