A person who laced treats with sleeping medication and provided them to children at a summer program in the area has confessed to sexual crimes against two young males who were between nine and ten.
Jon Ruben was taken into custody after eight children and one adult fell ill at Stathern Lodge in the summer month.
The elderly man, from that region, confessed to a multiple criminal counts when he appeared at Leicester Crown Court on the end of the week.
However, he disputed one particular crime he was accused of, which was involving a nine-year-old boy.
The accused was remanded in custody before a subsequent court date on late November.
'Treat game'
The legal representative, prosecuting, detailed Ruben's offending to the court.
She explained his victims were children from difficult backgrounds who were attending a summer program which he ran.
The defendant engaged in a "sweet game" with the minors, Mrs Prior stated, in which he would access the boys' rooms when they were preparing to sleep and tell them to ingest treats "rapidly".
She informed the proceedings the defendant had engaged in this activity with the boys "for many years", and minors had earlier experienced illness the next day.
She explained the defendant had been successful in rationalizing this over a long period as the minors being "overexcited from fun", until his stepchild had suspicions in summer 2025.
The legal representative added: "This year his stepchild had suspicions about what was going on, with valid cause.
"They decided to examine in the man's possessions."
Mrs Prior KC stated objects including infant oil, Vaseline and syringes were located, and his stepson contacted the police about his worries.
She stated the man continued to play the "candy game" with six boys that time - that Saturday - and they were all sick the subsequent day.
"Law enforcement" had not responded by that time," she added.
The police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, had stated that it was reviewing the police response of the situation.
The legal representative said the youngsters were struggling to walk due to their sickness, so the stepson contacted the law enforcement again.
She said Ruben then conducted the "treat game" in a room of five youngsters.
