A man who laced treats with sleeping medication and provided them to youngsters at a youth camp in Leicestershire has pleaded guilty to sexual offences against two young males both nine and ten years old.
Jon Ruben was detained after eight youngsters and a grown-up fell ill at the facility in July.
The elderly man, from the Nottinghamshire area, pleaded guilty to a series of 17 offences when he appeared at the judicial center on the end of the week.
Nevertheless, he disputed one of the sexual offences he was charged with, which was involving a nine-year-old boy.
The defendant was kept in jail prior to a additional proceeding on November 28th.
'Sweet game'
The legal representative, prosecuting, outlined Ruben's offending to the judicial body.
She said his those affected were under-privileged children who were participating in a summer camp which he operated.
The defendant engaged in a "sweet game" with the children, the legal counsel explained, in which he would enter the boys' rooms when they were preparing to sleep and tell them to ingest treats "rapidly".
She stated to the judge the defendant had played this game with the boys "repeatedly", and children had previously become sick the following morning.
She stated Ruben had been successful in rationalizing this for many years as the children being "overexcited from fun", until his stepson had suspicions in July 2025.
Mrs Prior KC stated further: "In the summer" his family member had worries about the situation, for good reason.
"They decided to examine in the defendant's belongings."
Mrs Prior KC said items including baby oil, ointment and syringes were discovered, and his family member alerted the police about his concerns.
She said the defendant continued to conduct the "treat game" with six youngsters that night - that Saturday - and they were all sick the following morning.
"The police had not arrived by that point," she added.
The police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, previously told that it was investigating the police response of the incident.
Mrs Prior stated the youngsters were unable to walk properly due to their condition, so the family member notified the authorities once more.
She explained Ruben then engaged in the "candy game" in a space of five children.
