A man who spiked sweets with sleeping medication and gave them to minors at a youth camp in Leicestershire has admitted sexual offences against two children both between nine and ten.
Jon Ruben was arrested after eight children and one adult fell ill at the location in mid-summer.
The 76-year-old, from the Nottinghamshire area, confessed to a total of 17 charges when he was present at Leicester Crown Court on the end of the week.
However, he denied one of the sexual offences he was accused of, which was involving a young boy.
The accused was kept in jail prior to a subsequent court date on 28 November.
'Candy game'
The legal representative, presenting evidence, outlined Ruben's offending to the legal proceedings.
She stated his those affected were children from difficult backgrounds who were attending a youth camp which he managed.
The defendant played a "sweet game" with the minors, the legal counsel stated, in which he would go into the boys' rooms when they were settling down and ask them to consume candy "as fast as possible".
She told the court the defendant had engaged in this activity with the children "for many years", and children had previously fallen ill the next day.
She explained Ruben had been able to explain this repeatedly as the minors being "overexcited from fun", until his stepchild had suspicions in July 2025.
The prosecutor added: "In the summer" his family member had concerns about the activities, justifiably.
"They decided to have a look in the defendant's belongings."
Mrs Prior KC stated items including lubricant, ointment and syringes were discovered, and his stepson alerted the police about his worries.
She said Ruben went on to play the "sweet game" with six children that night - Saturday 26 July - and they were all ill the next day.
"The police had not responded by that point," she continued.
The regulatory agency, the police conduct office, previously told that it was examining the police response of the incident.
Mrs Prior said the youngsters were struggling to walk due to their condition, so the stepson called the law enforcement a second time.
She stated the defendant then conducted the "sweet game" in a space of five minors.
