A man who contaminated sweets with sleeping medication and gave them to minors at a summer camp in the area has pleaded guilty to sexual offenses against two boys both nine and ten years old.
Jon Ruben was taken into custody after eight minors and a grown-up experienced illness at the facility in the summer month.
The 76-year-old, from that region, confessed to a total of 17 charges when he stood at Leicester Crown Court on recently.
Yet, he refused to admit one particular crime he was facing, which was involving a nine-year-old boy.
Ruben was held in detention prior to a further hearing on November 28th.
'Candy game'
The prosecutor, prosecuting, detailed the defendant's actions to the legal proceedings.
She said his victims were disadvantaged youngsters who were participating in a summer program which he managed.
The defendant conducted a "candy game" with the minors, the prosecutor explained, in which he would go into the boys' rooms when they were getting ready for bed and tell them to eat sweets "rapidly".
She stated to the judge Ruben had conducted this practice with the young males "for many years", and children had previously fallen ill the following morning.
She said Ruben had been capable of justifying this repeatedly as the minors being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepchild had suspicions in July 2025.
The legal representative continued: "Recently" his stepchild had worries about what was going on, for good reason.
"They chose" to have a look in the defendant's belongings."
The prosecutor said materials including infant oil, Vaseline and medical needles were discovered, and his stepchild notified the law enforcement about his worries.
She said Ruben continued to play the "sweet game" with six youngsters that evening - that Saturday - and they were all ill the subsequent day.
"Law enforcement" had not responded by that stage," she continued.
The oversight body, the police conduct office, had stated that it was reviewing Leicestershire Police's handling of the situation.
The legal representative said the minors were unable to walk properly due to their condition, so Ruben's stepson contacted the police a second time.
She explained the defendant then played the "treat game" in a space of five children.
