An individual who contaminated sweets with tranquilliser and gave them to youngsters at a summer program in the region has pleaded guilty to sexual crimes against two children both nine and ten years old.
Jon Ruben was taken into custody after eight youngsters and one adult experienced illness at the location in mid-summer.
The senior citizen, from the Nottinghamshire area, confessed to a total of 17 charges when he stood at Leicester Crown Court on the end of the week.
However, he disputed one of the sexual offences he was accused of, which was concerning a nine-year-old boy.
The accused was kept in jail before a further hearing on 28 November.
'Sweet game'
Mary Prior KC, presenting evidence, described Ruben's offending to the legal proceedings.
She stated his victims were under-privileged children who were participating in a youth camp which he ran.
The defendant played a "sweet game" with the youngsters, the legal counsel explained, in which he would go into the boys' rooms when they were getting ready for bed and ask them to eat sweets "rapidly".
She stated to the judge the defendant had engaged in this activity with the children "repeatedly", and children had previously become sick the next day.
She said the man had been able to explain this repeatedly as the children being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his stepchild had suspicions in summer 2025.
Mrs Prior KC stated further: "Recently" his stepchild had suspicions about what was going on, for good reason.
"They chose" to have a look in the defendant's belongings."
The legal counsel explained items including infant oil, ointment and syringes were discovered, and his family member alerted the authorities about his worries.
She said the man went on to conduct the "candy game" with six boys that time - Saturday 26 July - and they were everyone unwell the next day.
"The police had not responded by that time," she stated further.
The oversight body, the investigative body, previously told that it was reviewing Leicestershire Police's handling of the events.
Mrs Prior explained the youngsters were having difficulty walking due to their condition, so the family member notified the police a second time.
She stated Ruben then played the "candy game" in a space of five minors.
