An individual who spiked candy with sleeping medication and gave them to youngsters at a summer camp in Leicestershire has pleaded guilty to sexual offenses against two children aged nine and 10.
Jon Ruben was taken into custody after eight minors and an older person fell ill at the facility in the summer month.
The elderly man, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty to a series of 17 offences when he was present at the courthouse on Friday.
Yet, he denied one particular crime he was charged with, which was concerning a young boy.
The defendant was remanded in custody ahead of a subsequent court date on late November.
'Candy game'
The legal representative, handling the case, described Ruben's offending to the court.
She stated his victims were children from difficult backgrounds who were attending a summer camp which he ran.
The man engaged in a "treat game" with the children, the legal counsel said, in which he would access the sleeping quarters when they were preparing to sleep and tell them to eat sweets "rapidly".
She told the court the man had engaged in this activity with the young males "over an extended period", and children had earlier experienced illness the subsequent day.
She said the man had been capable of justifying this for many years as the youngsters being "overexcited from fun", until his stepchild had concerns in July 2025.
The legal representative continued: "In the summer" his stepson had suspicions about what was going on, justifiably.
"They chose" to investigate in the man's possessions."
Mrs Prior KC said items including lubricant, petroleum jelly and injection devices were discovered, and his family member alerted the authorities about his suspicions.
She said the defendant proceeded to play the "candy game" with six children that night - that Saturday - and they were all ill the following morning.
"Law enforcement" had not arrived by that point," she stated further.
The regulatory agency, the police conduct office, had stated that it was investigating the police response of the events.
The legal representative explained the minors were having difficulty walking due to being ill, so the family member called the authorities a second time.
She said Ruben then played the "candy game" in a space of five children.
