A person who contaminated sweets with sleeping medication and provided them to youngsters at a summer camp in the area has admitted sexual crimes against two young males who were nine and 10.
Jon Ruben was arrested after eight youngsters and an older person experienced illness at Stathern Lodge in July.
The 76-year-old, from the Nottinghamshire area, pleaded guilty to a series of 17 offences when he stood at Leicester Crown Court on Friday.
Yet, he denied one particular crime he was accused of, which was concerning a nine-year-old boy.
Ruben was kept in jail prior to a additional proceeding on late November.
'Sweet game'
The prosecutor, prosecuting, described Ruben's offending to the court.
She explained his targets were under-privileged children who were staying at a summer program which he ran.
Ruben played a "candy game" with the minors, Mrs Prior said, in which he would go into the boys' rooms when they were preparing to sleep and tell them to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".
She stated to the judge the defendant had played this game with the young males "over an extended period", and youngsters had previously become sick the subsequent day.
She said Ruben had been successful in rationalizing this repeatedly as the children being "overexcited from fun", until his family member had worries in summer 2025.
Mrs Prior KC continued: "In the summer" his stepson had worries about what was going on, for good reason.
"They resolved" to examine in the man's possessions."
Mrs Prior KC explained objects including baby oil, Vaseline and syringes were discovered, and his stepchild contacted the authorities about his suspicions.
She explained Ruben continued to conduct the "candy game" with six children that night - that Saturday - and they were everyone unwell the following morning.
"The police had not responded by that stage," she stated further.
The police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, previously told that it was reviewing the police response of the events.
The legal representative stated the children were unable to walk properly due to being ill, so Ruben's stepson contacted the police a second time.
She explained Ruben then engaged in the "candy game" in a room of five children.
