A person who spiked sweets with sleeping medication and distributed them to youngsters at a summer program in Leicestershire has confessed to sexual offences against two boys who were between nine and ten.
Jon Ruben was arrested after eight youngsters and an older person became sick at the facility in the summer month.
The senior citizen, from the Nottinghamshire area, pleaded guilty to a series of 17 offences when he appeared at the courthouse on recently.
However, he refused to admit a single sexual charge he was accused of, which was concerning a nine-year-old child.
Ruben was remanded in custody before a further hearing on November 28th.
'Sweet game'
The prosecutor, prosecuting, outlined Ruben's offending to the judicial body.
She stated his those affected were disadvantaged youngsters who were staying at a youth camp which he operated.
Ruben engaged in a "candy game" with the youngsters, the legal counsel explained, in which he would access the boys' rooms when they were preparing to sleep and request they to consume candy "as quickly as they can".
She informed the proceedings the man had conducted this practice with the young males "repeatedly", and minors had previously become sick the following morning.
She explained Ruben had been capable of justifying this for many years as the minors being "overexcited from fun", until his stepson had suspicions in July 2025.
The prosecutor stated further: "This year his stepson had worries about what was going on, justifiably.
"They chose" to examine in the defendant's belongings."
The prosecutor said objects including lubricant, Vaseline and injection devices were located, and his stepson contacted the law enforcement about his suspicions.
She said Ruben continued to play the "candy game" with six youngsters that night - July 26th - and they were all sick the next day.
"Authorities" had not responded by that stage," she stated further.
The police watchdog, the police conduct office, had stated that it was investigating Leicestershire Police's handling of the incident.
The legal representative stated the children were struggling to walk due to being ill, so the family member contacted the authorities again.
She stated Ruben then played the "treat game" in a room of five youngsters.
