An individual who contaminated treats with sleeping medication and provided them to minors at a summer program in Leicestershire has admitted sexual offences against two children aged nine and 10.
Jon Ruben was taken into custody after eight children and a grown-up became sick at the facility in July.
The 76-year-old, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, confessed to a total of 17 charges when he appeared at Leicester Crown Court on the end of the week.
Nevertheless, he denied one of the sexual offences he was accused of, which was concerning a nine-year-old boy.
The accused was remanded in custody ahead of a subsequent court date on 28 November.
'Sweet game'
Mary Prior KC, prosecuting, detailed the defendant's actions to the judicial body.
She stated his victims were disadvantaged youngsters who were attending a summer program which he operated.
Ruben engaged in a "sweet game" with the minors, Mrs Prior stated, in which he would go into the sleeping quarters when they were preparing to sleep and tell them to eat sweets "as fast as possible".
She informed the proceedings the man had engaged in this activity with the children "for many years", and minors had previously become sick the next day.
She stated the defendant had been successful in rationalizing this over a long period as the minors being "overstimulated by activities", until his family member had worries in summer 2025.
The legal representative continued: "Recently" his family member had worries about the activities, justifiably.
"They chose" to have a look in the individual's items."
The legal counsel said objects including infant oil, ointment and medical needles were located, and his family member alerted the law enforcement about his worries.
She said the man proceeded to engage in the "candy game" with six youngsters that time - that Saturday - and they were everyone unwell the subsequent day.
"The police had not arrived by that point," she added.
The oversight body, the police conduct office, earlier informed that it was reviewing the police response of the incident.
The prosecutor stated the youngsters were struggling to walk due to their sickness, so the stepson called the law enforcement a second time.
She stated the defendant then conducted the "candy game" in a area of five minors.
