An individual who contaminated treats with tranquilliser and provided them to minors at a summer program in Leicestershire has confessed to sexual crimes against two young males aged nine and ten years old.
Jon Ruben was taken into custody after eight children and one adult became sick at the facility in July.
The 76-year-old, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty to a multiple criminal counts when he was present at the courthouse on Friday.
Yet, he denied one particular crime he was facing, which was involving a nine-year-old boy.
Ruben was held in detention ahead of a additional proceeding on November 28th.
'Treat game'
The prosecutor, prosecuting, outlined the defendant's actions to the court.
She explained his targets were children from difficult backgrounds who were staying at a summer camp which he ran.
Ruben played a "candy game" with the minors, the prosecutor stated, in which he would enter the children's bedrooms when they were settling down and tell them to consume candy "as fast as possible".
She told the court Ruben had conducted this practice with the children "over an extended period", and children had previously become sick the subsequent day.
She said the defendant had been successful in rationalizing this over a long period as the minors being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his family member had suspicions in summer 2025.
Mrs Prior KC continued: "In the summer" his family member had worries about the activities, with valid cause.
"They resolved" to have a look in the defendant's belongings."
Mrs Prior KC explained items including baby oil, petroleum jelly and syringes were discovered, and his stepchild notified the police about his suspicions.
She stated the defendant went on to engage in the "candy game" with six children that evening - Saturday 26 July - and they were all ill the next day.
"Authorities" had not responded by that time," she stated further.
The police watchdog, the police conduct office, previously told that it was reviewing the police response of the incident.
Mrs Prior said the youngsters were having difficulty walking due to being ill, so the stepson called the authorities once more.
She said the man then conducted the "candy game" in a room of five minors.
