A person who laced sweets with sleeping medication and distributed them to children at a summer camp in Leicestershire has admitted sexual offences against two children aged between nine and ten.
Jon Ruben was arrested after eight children and one adult fell ill at Stathern Lodge in the summer month.
The elderly man, from the Nottinghamshire area, pleaded guilty to a total of 17 charges when he appeared at the judicial center on Friday.
However, he disputed one particular crime he was accused of, which was against a nine-year-old boy.
The defendant was held in detention ahead of a further hearing on late November.
'Candy game'
Mary Prior KC, prosecuting, described the defendant's actions to the court.
She said his targets were children from difficult backgrounds who were participating in a summer camp which he managed.
Ruben played a "treat game" with the children, the legal counsel explained, in which he would access the boys' rooms when they were preparing to sleep and tell them to ingest treats "rapidly".
She informed the proceedings the defendant had engaged in this activity with the young males "over an extended period", and youngsters had earlier experienced illness the following morning.
She explained Ruben had been successful in rationalizing this over a long period as the minors being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepchild had suspicions in July 2025.
The legal representative continued: "This year his family member had concerns about the activities, with valid cause.
"They chose" to examine in the defendant's belongings."
The legal counsel stated objects including lubricant, ointment and medical needles were found, and his stepson contacted the law enforcement about his concerns.
She explained the man went on to engage in the "treat game" with six boys that evening - July 26th - and they were all ill the subsequent day.
"The police had not arrived by that stage," she stated further.
The police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, had stated that it was investigating law enforcement's management of the events.
The prosecutor explained the youngsters were struggling to walk due to being ill, so the stepson called the law enforcement again.
She said the defendant then conducted the "candy game" in a area of five children.
