An individual who laced sweets with sedative and distributed them to children at a summer camp in the region has pleaded guilty to sexual crimes against two young males aged nine and ten years old.
Jon Ruben was taken into custody after eight youngsters and a grown-up experienced illness at the facility in mid-summer.
The senior citizen, from the Nottinghamshire area, admitted guilt to a multiple criminal counts when he stood at Leicester Crown Court on recently.
Nevertheless, he disputed one particular crime he was facing, which was against a young boy.
The accused was kept in jail prior to a subsequent court date on late November.
'Treat game'
The legal representative, handling the case, described Ruben's offending to the judicial body.
She stated his targets were disadvantaged youngsters who were attending a youth camp which he operated.
Ruben engaged in a "candy game" with the children, Mrs Prior said, in which he would access the boys' rooms when they were preparing to sleep and ask them to consume candy "as quickly as they can".
She stated to the judge the man had played this game with the boys "over an extended period", and youngsters had previously fallen ill the subsequent day.
She said the man had been successful in rationalizing this repeatedly as the children being "overstimulated by activities", until his family member had suspicions in summer 2025.
The legal representative stated further: "This year his family member had suspicions about the situation, justifiably.
"They chose" to have a look in the defendant's belongings."
The prosecutor stated items including lubricant, ointment and syringes were discovered, and his stepson contacted the law enforcement about his concerns.
She said the defendant went on to play the "candy game" with six boys that time - that Saturday - and they were all sick the following morning.
"The police had not arrived by that time," she added.
The oversight body, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, previously told that it was reviewing Leicestershire Police's handling of the incident.
Mrs Prior explained the children were having difficulty walking due to their condition, so the family member notified the police a second time.
She said the defendant then engaged in the "sweet game" in a room of five children.
