🔗 Share this article Person pleads guilty to sexual crimes targeting boys at youth camp The accused admitted 17 criminal counts at the judicial center on the end of the week A man who spiked treats with sleeping medication and provided them to youngsters at a summer program in Leicestershire has confessed to sexual crimes against two boys aged nine and ten years old. Jon Ruben was arrested after eight youngsters and an older person fell ill at the location in July. The elderly man, from the Nottinghamshire area, pleaded guilty to a series of 17 offences when he was present at Leicester Crown Court on Friday. However, he denied one of the sexual offences he was accused of, which was concerning a young boy. The accused was held in detention prior to a additional proceeding on 28 November. 'Sweet game' The prosecutor, presenting evidence, detailed the defendant's actions to the judicial body. She said his those affected were under-privileged children who were staying at a summer program which he ran. Ruben played a "treat game" with the children, the legal counsel said, in which he would enter the sleeping quarters when they were preparing to sleep and request they to eat sweets "rapidly". She told the court the defendant had played this game with the young males "for many years", and children had earlier experienced illness the next day. She explained the man had been successful in rationalizing this over a long period as the minors being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his stepson had suspicions in summer 2025. The prosecutor stated further: "In the summer" his stepchild had worries about what was going on, justifiably. "They decided to examine in the defendant's belongings." The prosecutor said items including infant oil, Vaseline and medical needles were found, and his stepchild alerted the law enforcement about his worries. She said the man proceeded to conduct the "treat game" with six youngsters that evening - that Saturday - and they were all ill the following morning. "Law enforcement" had not arrived by that stage," she added. The police watchdog, the investigative body, earlier informed that it was examining the police response of the incident. The prosecutor explained the children were struggling to walk due to their condition, so the family member called the authorities again. She explained the man then engaged in the "sweet game" in a space of five minors.