Man admits lacing sweets with sedatives and assaulting boys at summer camp

A man who laced sweets with tranquilliser and gave them to children at a summer camp in Leicestershire has admitted sexual offences against two boys, aged nine and 10.

Jon Ruben was arrested after eight children and one adult fell ill at Stathern Lodge in July.

The 76-year-old, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty to a total of 17 charges when he appeared at Leicester Crown Court on Friday.

However, he denied one of the sexual offences he was charged with, which was against a nine-year-old boy.

Mary Prior KC, prosecuting, outlined Ruben's offending to the court.

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

Ruben played a "sweet game" with the children, Mrs Prior said, in which he would go into the boys' rooms when they were getting ready for bed and ask them to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".

She told the court Ruben had played this game with the boys "for many years", and children had previously fallen ill the following morning.

She said Ruben had been able to explain this for many years as the children being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his stepson had concerns in July 2025.

Mrs Prior KC added: "This year his stepson had concerns about what was going on, for good reason.

"They decided to have a look in the defendant's belongings."

Mrs Prior KC said items including baby oil, Vaseline and syringes were found, and his stepson notified the police about his concerns.

She said Ruben went on to play the "sweet game" with six boys that night - Saturday 26 July - and they were all ill the following morning.

"The police had not gone out by that stage," she added.

The police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), previously told the BBC it was investigating Leicestershire Police's handling of the incident.

Mrs Prior said the children were having difficulty walking due to being ill, so Ruben's stepson called the police again.

She said Ruben then played the "sweet game" in a room of five children.