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A person who laced candy with sedative and gave them to children at a summer camp in the region has pleaded guilty to sexual crimes against two young males who were between nine and ten.

Jon Ruben was detained after eight minors and a grown-up fell ill at Stathern Lodge in mid-summer.

The 76-year-old, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty to a total of 17 charges when he was present at the judicial center on the end of the week.

Yet, he refused to admit a single sexual charge he was accused of, which was involving a nine-year-old child.

The accused was remanded in custody before a additional proceeding on November 28th.

'Sweet game'

The prosecutor, handling the case, described Ruben's offending to the court.

She explained his victims were disadvantaged youngsters who were staying at a youth camp which he managed.

Ruben played a "treat game" with the youngsters, Mrs Prior explained, in which he would go into the children's bedrooms when they were preparing to sleep and tell them to eat sweets "rapidly".

She informed the proceedings the defendant had engaged in this activity with the children "for many years", and youngsters had previously fallen ill the next day.

She said the man had been successful in rationalizing this over a long period as the children being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepchild had worries in summer 2025.

The prosecutor stated further: "This year his stepchild had suspicions about what was going on, justifiably.

"They resolved" to have a look in the man's possessions."

The legal counsel said items including lubricant, Vaseline and medical needles were located, and his stepchild contacted the law enforcement about his worries.

She stated the man went on to play the "sweet game" with six boys that night - Saturday 26 July - and they were all ill the subsequent day.

"Law enforcement" had not gone out by that stage," she stated further.

The oversight body, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, earlier informed that it was reviewing the police response of the incident.

Mrs Prior stated the minors were struggling to walk due to being ill, so the family member called the police once more.

She said the defendant then engaged in the "sweet game" in a area of five youngsters.