A person who spiked candy with sleeping medication and gave them to minors at a summer program in Leicestershire has pleaded guilty to sexual crimes against two young males both nine and ten years old.
Jon Ruben was detained after eight youngsters and a grown-up became sick at the location in mid-summer.
The 76-year-old, from that region, confessed to a total of 17 charges when he appeared at the judicial center on Friday.
However, he refused to admit one particular crime he was charged with, which was concerning a nine-year-old boy.
Ruben was remanded in custody before a subsequent court date on 28 November.
'Candy game'
Mary Prior KC, prosecuting, described the defendant's actions to the judicial body.
She said his targets were children from difficult backgrounds who were participating in a youth camp which he operated.
The defendant played a "sweet game" with the children, 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 stated to the judge the defendant had played this game with the young males "repeatedly", and children had previously fallen ill the following morning.
She said Ruben had been capable of justifying this repeatedly as the children being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his family member had worries in July 2025.
The prosecutor continued: "This year his stepson had concerns about the situation, for good reason.
"They decided to have a look in the defendant's belongings."
The prosecutor explained objects including baby oil, ointment and injection devices were found, and his stepson alerted the law enforcement about his suspicions.
She said the defendant continued to engage in the "sweet game" with six boys that time - that Saturday - and they were all ill the subsequent day.
"Authorities" had not responded by that point," she stated further.
The oversight body, the police conduct office, had stated that it was reviewing Leicestershire Police's handling of the events.
The legal representative explained the youngsters were struggling to walk due to their sickness, so the stepson called the authorities again.
She stated Ruben then engaged in the "sweet game" in a room of five youngsters.
