A man who contaminated candy with sedative and provided them to youngsters at a summer camp in Leicestershire has confessed to sexual crimes against two boys both nine and 10.
Jon Ruben was arrested after eight children and a grown-up became sick at Stathern Lodge in mid-summer.
The senior citizen, from the Nottinghamshire area, confessed to a total of 17 charges when he appeared at Leicester Crown Court on recently.
Yet, he refused to admit a single sexual charge he was charged with, which was against a young boy.
The accused was remanded in custody ahead of a additional proceeding on November 28th.
'Sweet game'
The legal representative, prosecuting, described the criminal behavior to the legal proceedings.
She said his victims were under-privileged children who were staying at a summer camp which he operated.
The man played a "sweet game" with the children, the legal counsel stated, in which he would go into the boys' rooms when they were preparing to sleep and ask them to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".
She informed the proceedings the defendant had conducted this practice with the boys "over an extended period", and children had previously become sick the subsequent day.
She stated the man had been capable of justifying this repeatedly as the youngsters being "overstimulated by activities", until his family member had suspicions in July 2025.
The prosecutor continued: "This year his family member had concerns about what was going on, for good reason.
"They resolved" to examine in the individual's items."
The prosecutor said items including lubricant, petroleum jelly and injection devices were found, and his stepchild notified the police about his suspicions.
She said the man went on to play the "sweet game" with six boys that evening - July 26th - and they were everyone unwell the following morning.
"Law enforcement" had not arrived by that time," she stated further.
The regulatory agency, the investigative body, had stated that it was reviewing Leicestershire Police's handling of the incident.
The prosecutor explained the children were struggling to walk due to being ill, so the family member notified the law enforcement a second time.
She stated the man then played the "sweet game" in a room of five youngsters.
