An individual who laced sweets with sleeping medication and gave them to youngsters at a summer camp in Leicestershire has admitted sexual offences against two young males who were nine and 10.
Jon Ruben was arrested after eight children and a grown-up fell ill at the facility in July.
The elderly man, from that region, admitted guilt to a series of 17 offences when he stood at the judicial center on the end of the week.
Nevertheless, he refused to admit one of the sexual offences he was accused of, which was involving a nine-year-old child.
The defendant was held in detention before a subsequent court date on 28 November.
'Candy game'
The prosecutor, handling the case, described the defendant's actions to the legal proceedings.
She explained his targets were under-privileged children who were participating in a summer camp which he ran.
The man engaged in a "candy game" with the minors, the prosecutor said, in which he would go into the sleeping quarters when they were preparing to sleep and tell them to consume candy "as fast as possible".
She informed the proceedings the man had engaged in this activity with the children "for many years", and minors had earlier experienced illness the subsequent day.
She explained the man had been successful in rationalizing this for many years as the children being "overexcited from fun", until his stepson had suspicions in summer 2025.
The prosecutor continued: "This year his family member had concerns about the activities, for good reason.
"They chose" to examine in the defendant's belongings."
The prosecutor said materials including baby oil, Vaseline and medical needles were located, and his stepson contacted the authorities about his concerns.
She said Ruben went on to play the "candy game" with six boys that evening - Saturday 26 July - and they were all ill the subsequent day.
"The police had not gone out by that time," she continued.
The regulatory agency, the police conduct office, previously told that it was examining the police response of the situation.
Mrs Prior explained the children were struggling to walk due to their sickness, so Ruben's stepson notified the law enforcement again.
She explained Ruben then played the "candy game" in a room of five minors.
