An individual who contaminated sweets with sedative and provided them to children at a summer program in the region has confessed to sexual offenses against two boys both nine and ten years old.
Jon Ruben was arrested after eight minors and an older person fell ill at Stathern Lodge in the summer month.
The elderly man, from that region, pleaded guilty to a series of 17 offences when he stood at Leicester Crown Court on the end of the week.
Nevertheless, he denied a single sexual charge he was accused of, which was concerning a nine-year-old boy.
Ruben was held in detention ahead of a additional proceeding on late November.
'Treat game'
The prosecutor, handling the case, outlined the defendant's actions to the legal proceedings.
She stated his those affected were children from difficult backgrounds who were attending a summer program which he managed.
The man played a "candy game" with the children, the prosecutor said, in which he would access the children's bedrooms when they were getting ready for bed and tell them to ingest treats "as quickly as they can".
She told the court Ruben had engaged in this activity with the young males "repeatedly", and minors had previously become sick the following morning.
She said Ruben had been capable of justifying this repeatedly as the youngsters being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his stepchild had suspicions in summer 2025.
The prosecutor added: "In the summer" his family member had concerns about what was going on, for good reason.
"They resolved" to examine in the individual's items."
The prosecutor stated items including baby oil, Vaseline and syringes were located, and his stepchild contacted the authorities about his worries.
She explained the defendant proceeded to conduct the "candy game" with six boys that night - that Saturday - and they were all ill the next day.
"The police had not gone out by that time," she continued.
The oversight body, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, had stated that it was reviewing Leicestershire Police's handling of the incident.
Mrs Prior said the children were struggling to walk due to being ill, so Ruben's stepson called the authorities a second time.
She explained Ruben then conducted the "sweet game" in a space of five children.
