An individual who laced sweets with tranquilliser and provided them to children at a summer camp in Leicestershire has pleaded guilty to sexual crimes against two young males both between nine and ten.
Jon Ruben was detained after eight youngsters and an older person experienced illness at Stathern Lodge in mid-summer.
The 76-year-old, from that region, confessed to a total of 17 charges when he stood at Leicester Crown Court on the end of the week.
However, he refused to admit one of the sexual offences he was facing, which was concerning a nine-year-old boy.
The accused was held in detention ahead of a additional proceeding on 28 November.
'Candy game'
Mary Prior KC, handling the case, outlined the defendant's actions to the court.
She explained his victims were under-privileged children who were attending a summer program which he ran.
The man played a "candy game" with the youngsters, the legal counsel stated, in which he would access the children's bedrooms when they were getting ready for bed and tell them to consume candy "rapidly".
She told the court Ruben had engaged in this activity with the children "over an extended period", and minors had previously fallen ill the following morning.
She stated Ruben had been successful in rationalizing this for many years as the minors being "overexcited from fun", until his stepchild had worries in summer 2025.
The prosecutor added: "This year his stepchild had worries about what was going on, with valid cause.
"They decided to investigate in the man's possessions."
Mrs Prior KC said objects including lubricant, Vaseline and syringes were located, and his family member contacted the authorities about his concerns.
She said the defendant went on to engage in the "sweet game" with six children that night - Saturday 26 July - and they were all sick the subsequent day.
"The police had not gone out by that stage," she stated further.
The oversight body, the police conduct office, earlier informed that it was examining the police response of the situation.
The prosecutor explained the minors were struggling to walk due to being ill, so the family member called the law enforcement a second time.
She said the man then played the "treat game" in a room of five minors.
