A man who spiked sweets with sedative and distributed them to minors at a summer camp in the area has admitted sexual offenses against two children who were nine and ten years old.
Jon Ruben was taken into custody after eight children and an older person fell ill at the facility in the summer month.
The 76-year-old, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, confessed to a total of 17 charges when he appeared at Leicester Crown Court on recently.
Yet, he refused to admit one particular crime he was facing, which was concerning a nine-year-old child.
The defendant was kept in jail ahead of a subsequent court date on November 28th.
'Sweet game'
Mary Prior KC, handling the case, described the defendant's actions to the legal proceedings.
She explained his targets were under-privileged children who were staying at a summer program which he operated.
The defendant played a "sweet game" with the minors, the prosecutor explained, in which he would go into the boys' rooms when they were preparing to sleep and ask them to ingest treats "as fast as possible".
She stated to the judge Ruben had played this game with the boys "repeatedly", and youngsters had earlier experienced illness the next day.
She said the defendant had been capable of justifying this for many years as the children being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepson had suspicions in summer 2025.
The prosecutor added: "In the summer" his stepchild had worries about the activities, for good reason.
"They decided to examine in the defendant's belongings."
Mrs Prior KC stated materials including infant oil, petroleum jelly and syringes were found, and his family member contacted the police about his suspicions.
She stated the man went on to play the "sweet game" with six youngsters that night - Saturday 26 July - and they were all ill the following morning.
"Law enforcement" had not responded by that point," she continued.
The regulatory agency, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, earlier informed that it was reviewing the police response of the incident.
The prosecutor explained the minors were struggling to walk due to being ill, so Ruben's stepson called the law enforcement once more.
She explained the man then played the "sweet game" in a area of five children.
