An individual who spiked candy with sedative and gave them to youngsters at a youth camp in Leicestershire has pleaded guilty to sexual offences against two young males both nine and ten years old.
Jon Ruben was arrested after eight minors and one adult fell ill at the facility in mid-summer.
The senior citizen, from that region, pleaded guilty to a series of 17 offences when he stood at the judicial center on recently.
However, he refused to admit a single sexual charge he was accused of, which was concerning a nine-year-old child.
The accused was held in detention before a subsequent court date on late November.
'Candy game'
Mary Prior KC, handling the case, detailed the criminal behavior to the court.
She said his victims were disadvantaged youngsters who were attending a summer camp which he managed.
The man played a "sweet game" with the minors, the legal counsel stated, in which he would go into the children's bedrooms when they were getting ready for bed and tell them to consume candy "rapidly".
She told the court the man had conducted this practice with the children "repeatedly", and minors had previously become sick the subsequent day.
She said the man had been able to explain this repeatedly as the youngsters being "overstimulated by activities", until his family member had concerns in July 2025.
Mrs Prior KC continued: "In the summer" his family member had concerns about what was going on, justifiably.
"They chose" to have a look in the defendant's belongings."
Mrs Prior KC explained items including lubricant, ointment and syringes were discovered, and his stepchild alerted the police about his suspicions.
She stated the defendant continued to conduct the "sweet game" with six children that time - July 26th - and they were all sick the subsequent day.
"Law enforcement" had not arrived by that point," she continued.
The regulatory agency, the police conduct office, had stated that it was investigating the police response of the events.
The prosecutor explained the children were unable to walk properly due to their condition, so the stepson notified the law enforcement a second time.
She stated Ruben then played the "treat game" in a area of five children.
