🔗 Share this article

A man who laced sweets with sleeping medication and distributed them to children at a summer program in the area has admitted sexual crimes against two children who were nine and ten years old.

Jon Ruben was arrested after eight children and a grown-up fell ill at Stathern Lodge in the summer month.

The elderly man, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, admitted guilt to a series of 17 offences when he was present at Leicester Crown Court on Friday.

Nevertheless, he refused to admit a single sexual charge he was facing, which was against a young boy.

The defendant was kept in jail before a further hearing on November 28th.

'Sweet game'

The prosecutor, handling the case, detailed the defendant's actions to the legal proceedings.

She explained his targets were children from difficult backgrounds who were attending a youth camp which he operated.

The man played a "treat game" with the youngsters, the prosecutor said, in which he would enter the children's bedrooms when they were preparing to sleep and tell them to ingest treats "as quickly as they can".

She told the court the defendant had engaged in this activity with the boys "for many years", and children had previously fallen ill the next day.

She explained Ruben had been successful in rationalizing this for many years as the minors being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepchild had concerns in summer 2025.

The prosecutor added: "This year his stepson had concerns about what was going on, justifiably.

"They decided to investigate in the man's possessions."

Mrs Prior KC stated objects including baby oil, ointment and syringes were located, and his stepson alerted the law enforcement about his suspicions.

She said the defendant went on to engage in the "sweet game" with six youngsters that night - Saturday 26 July - and they were all sick the following morning.

"Law enforcement" had not gone out by that time," she continued.

The oversight body, the investigative body, previously told that it was examining law enforcement's management of the incident.

The prosecutor said the minors were struggling to walk due to being ill, so the stepson called the law enforcement a second time.

She explained Ruben then engaged in the "candy game" in a area of five youngsters.