An individual who contaminated treats with sedative and gave them to minors at a summer camp in Leicestershire has admitted sexual offenses against two children aged between nine and ten.
Jon Ruben was taken into custody after eight children and a grown-up fell ill at Stathern Lodge in July.
The elderly man, from that region, pleaded guilty to a total of 17 charges when he stood at the courthouse on recently.
Nevertheless, he disputed one particular crime he was facing, which was concerning a young boy.
Ruben was remanded in custody before a subsequent court date on late November.
'Treat game'
The legal representative, handling the case, outlined Ruben's offending to the judicial body.
She explained his victims were under-privileged children who were attending a summer program which he ran.
The man engaged in a "sweet game" with the children, the prosecutor stated, in which he would enter the boys' rooms when they were settling down and ask them to eat sweets "as fast as possible".
She stated to the judge the man had conducted this practice with the children "for many years", and youngsters had previously fallen ill the following morning.
She explained the man had been able to explain this over a long period as the children being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his stepson had suspicions in July 2025.
The legal representative continued: "This year his stepson had worries about the situation, justifiably.
"They decided to have a look in the defendant's belongings."
Mrs Prior KC stated objects including baby oil, petroleum jelly and medical needles were discovered, and his stepchild notified the police about his worries.
She explained the man proceeded to play the "sweet game" with six youngsters that evening - Saturday 26 July - and they were all ill the following morning.
"Law enforcement" had not gone out by that time," she added.
The regulatory agency, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, previously told that it was examining law enforcement's management of the situation.
Mrs Prior said the youngsters were unable to walk properly due to their sickness, so the stepson contacted the police a second time.
She stated Ruben then conducted the "treat game" in a room of five youngsters.
