A person who contaminated sweets with sleeping medication and gave them to minors at a youth camp in the region has confessed to sexual offences against two young males who were nine and ten years old.
Jon Ruben was taken into custody after eight minors and an older person fell ill at the location in July.
The 76-year-old, from that region, pleaded guilty to a series of 17 offences when he was present at the courthouse on Friday.
Nevertheless, he denied one of the sexual offences he was facing, which was against a nine-year-old boy.
The defendant was remanded in custody before a additional proceeding on late November.
'Candy game'
Mary Prior KC, prosecuting, described the criminal behavior to the court.
She explained his targets were under-privileged children who were participating in a summer program which he operated.
The defendant engaged in a "sweet game" with the youngsters, the legal counsel stated, in which he would access the children's bedrooms when they were preparing to sleep and ask them to consume candy "as fast as possible".
She informed the proceedings the defendant had played this game with the young males "for many years", and minors had earlier experienced illness the following morning.
She said the man had been successful in rationalizing this over a long period as the children being "overexcited from fun", until his family member had suspicions in summer 2025.
The legal representative continued: "Recently" his family member had concerns about the activities, justifiably.
"They chose" to investigate in the individual's items."
The prosecutor said objects including baby oil, ointment and injection devices were found, and his family member notified the authorities about his concerns.
She said Ruben continued to play the "treat game" with six children that time - that Saturday - and they were everyone unwell the subsequent day.
"Law enforcement" had not gone out by that point," she continued.
The police watchdog, the police conduct office, earlier informed that it was examining Leicestershire Police's handling of the situation.
Mrs Prior said the children were struggling to walk due to their sickness, so the family member notified the authorities a second time.
She said the man then conducted the "sweet game" in a space of five children.
