A person who laced candy with sleeping medication and distributed them to minors at a summer program in the region has pleaded guilty to sexual offences against two young males aged nine and ten years old.
Jon Ruben was detained after eight youngsters and a grown-up became sick at Stathern Lodge in mid-summer.
The elderly man, from the Nottinghamshire area, confessed to a series of 17 offences when he was present at the courthouse on Friday.
However, he denied one of the sexual offences he was facing, which was against a young boy.
Ruben was kept in jail prior to a subsequent court date on November 28th.
'Sweet game'
Mary Prior KC, presenting evidence, outlined Ruben's offending to the judicial body.
She stated his targets were children from difficult backgrounds who were staying at a summer program which he ran.
The man engaged in a "treat game" with the youngsters, the legal counsel explained, in which he would access the boys' rooms when they were getting ready for bed and tell them to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".
She stated to the judge the man had conducted this practice with the young males "over an extended period", and children had previously become sick the following morning.
She explained Ruben had been able to explain this repeatedly as the minors being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepson had suspicions in summer 2025.
The legal representative continued: "In the summer" his stepchild had worries about the situation, justifiably.
"They resolved" to have a look in the individual's items."
The prosecutor said items including infant oil, ointment and syringes were discovered, and his stepchild notified the law enforcement about his concerns.
She stated the defendant continued to conduct the "sweet game" with six boys that evening - Saturday 26 July - and they were all sick the subsequent day.
"The police had not gone out by that point," she continued.
The oversight body, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, previously told that it was investigating law enforcement's management of the situation.
Mrs Prior said the children were unable to walk properly due to being ill, so Ruben's stepson notified the authorities again.
She explained the defendant then conducted the "sweet game" in a room of five minors.
