A person who laced sweets with sedative and gave them to children at a summer camp in the region has admitted sexual offenses against two children both between nine and ten.
Jon Ruben was arrested after eight youngsters and a grown-up became sick at the facility in the summer month.
The elderly man, from the Nottinghamshire area, admitted guilt to a total of 17 charges when he was present at the courthouse on recently.
However, he refused to admit a single sexual charge he was charged with, which was involving a nine-year-old child.
Ruben was kept in jail prior to a additional proceeding on 28 November.
'Treat game'
The prosecutor, prosecuting, described the defendant's actions to the judicial body.
She explained his victims were children from difficult backgrounds who were attending a summer program which he managed.
The man played 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 ingest treats "as fast as possible".
She informed the proceedings the defendant had engaged in this activity with the children "repeatedly", and youngsters had previously become sick the next day.
She explained the defendant had been successful in rationalizing this for many years as the children being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his family member had suspicions in July 2025.
Mrs Prior KC continued: "This year his stepchild had concerns about the situation, justifiably.
"They resolved" to have a look in the defendant's belongings."
The legal counsel said objects including lubricant, petroleum jelly and syringes were located, and his family member alerted the authorities about his worries.
She explained the man continued to conduct the "candy game" with six children that evening - Saturday 26 July - and they were all sick the subsequent day.
"Law enforcement" had not arrived by that stage," she added.
The police watchdog, the investigative body, previously told that it was examining Leicestershire Police's handling of the events.
Mrs Prior explained the children were struggling to walk due to their sickness, so the family member contacted the authorities once more.
She explained the man then engaged in the "candy game" in a room of five children.
