A person who laced candy with sedative and provided them to minors at a summer program in Leicestershire has confessed to sexual offences against two boys both nine and ten years old.
Jon Ruben was taken into custody after eight children and an older person became sick at the facility in mid-summer.
The 76-year-old, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, confessed to a series of 17 offences when he stood at Leicester Crown Court on Friday.
Yet, he disputed a single sexual charge he was accused of, which was against a young boy.
Ruben was kept in jail ahead of a subsequent court date on November 28th.
'Treat game'
The prosecutor, handling the case, described Ruben's offending to the legal proceedings.
She explained his victims were children from difficult backgrounds who were staying at a summer program which he operated.
The defendant engaged in a "candy game" with the children, Mrs Prior explained, in which he would go into the boys' rooms when they were preparing to sleep and request they to eat sweets "as fast as possible".
She informed the proceedings Ruben had conducted this practice with the boys "repeatedly", and youngsters had earlier experienced illness the next day.
She explained the man had been able to explain this over a long period as the youngsters being "overexcited from fun", until his stepchild had suspicions in summer 2025.
The prosecutor added: "Recently" his family member had suspicions about the activities, for good reason.
"They decided to examine in the man's possessions."
Mrs Prior KC said items including lubricant, petroleum jelly and syringes were discovered, and his stepchild contacted the authorities about his worries.
She explained the defendant proceeded to play the "candy game" with six children that time - Saturday 26 July - and they were all sick the subsequent day.
"The police had not gone out by that stage," she continued.
The regulatory agency, the investigative body, earlier informed that it was examining the police response of the situation.
Mrs Prior said the children were having difficulty walking due to their condition, so the stepson called the authorities once more.
She said the man then conducted the "treat game" in a room of five minors.
