Man admits sexual offenses involving boys at summer camp

A person who laced sweets with tranquilliser and gave them to youngsters at a summer camp in Leicestershire has confessed to sexual offences against two children who were nine and 10.

Jon Ruben was taken into custody after eight minors and a grown-up fell ill at the facility in the summer month.

The senior citizen, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty to a total of 17 charges when he stood at the judicial center on recently.

Yet, he disputed one of the sexual offences he was accused of, which was against a nine-year-old boy.

Ruben was kept in jail prior to a further hearing on November 28th.

'Treat game'

The prosecutor, handling the case, outlined Ruben's offending to the judicial body.

She stated his victims were under-privileged children who were staying at a youth camp which he ran.

Ruben engaged in a "candy game" with the minors, Mrs Prior said, in which he would access the children's bedrooms when they were settling down and tell them to ingest treats "rapidly".

She stated to the judge the man had played this game with the young males "over an extended period", and minors had earlier experienced illness the following morning.

She said Ruben had been successful in rationalizing this for many years as the youngsters being "overexcited from fun", until his stepson had worries in summer 2025.

The prosecutor continued: "In the summer" his stepchild had worries about the situation, for good reason.

"They resolved" to examine in the individual's items."

The prosecutor stated materials including lubricant, petroleum jelly and injection devices were located, and his stepson notified the police about his concerns.

She explained Ruben proceeded to play the "candy game" with six boys that time - Saturday 26 July - and they were all sick the next day.

"Authorities" had not responded by that point," she added.

The police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, earlier informed that it was investigating law enforcement's management of the situation.

The prosecutor said the minors were unable to walk properly due to their sickness, so the stepson called the law enforcement once more.

She said Ruben then conducted the "treat game" in a area of five children.