A man who contaminated sweets with tranquilliser and distributed them to children at a youth camp in the area has confessed to sexual offenses against two children both nine and ten years old.
Jon Ruben was detained after eight children and a grown-up fell ill at the facility in mid-summer.
The 76-year-old, from that region, confessed to a total of 17 charges when he was present at Leicester Crown Court on Friday.
Yet, he refused to admit a single sexual charge he was facing, which was concerning a nine-year-old child.
Ruben was held in detention ahead of a subsequent court date on 28 November.
'Candy game'
The prosecutor, presenting evidence, described Ruben's offending to the legal proceedings.
She stated his targets were children from difficult backgrounds who were participating in a summer camp which he managed.
The defendant engaged in a "candy game" with the youngsters, the prosecutor explained, in which he would enter the children's bedrooms when they were preparing to sleep and ask them to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".
She told the court Ruben had played this game with the young males "for many years", and minors had previously become sick the next day.
She stated the defendant had been successful in rationalizing this repeatedly as the youngsters being "overexcited from fun", until his family member had concerns in July 2025.
The prosecutor stated further: "This year his stepchild had suspicions about the activities, for good reason.
"They resolved" to have a look in the man's possessions."
Mrs Prior KC stated materials including lubricant, ointment and medical needles were discovered, and his stepson alerted the police about his suspicions.
She explained the defendant continued to play the "treat game" with six children that evening - Saturday 26 July - and they were all ill the subsequent day.
"Authorities" had not gone out by that point," she continued.
The regulatory agency, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, earlier informed that it was examining law enforcement's management of the events.
The legal representative said the youngsters were having difficulty walking due to their sickness, so Ruben's stepson contacted the police a second time.
She stated the man then played the "candy game" in a space of five children.
