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A man who spiked treats with sedative and gave them to minors at a summer program in the area has confessed to sexual offences against two young males who were between nine and ten.

Jon Ruben was detained after eight children and a grown-up fell ill at Stathern Lodge in mid-summer.

The elderly man, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, admitted guilt to a multiple criminal counts when he appeared at the courthouse on recently.

However, he refused to admit one of the sexual offences he was accused of, which was concerning a nine-year-old child.

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

'Sweet game'

Mary Prior KC, prosecuting, detailed the defendant's actions to the legal proceedings.

She said his targets were children from difficult backgrounds who were attending a summer program which he managed.

The defendant conducted a "treat game" with the children, the prosecutor explained, in which he would enter the children's bedrooms when they were settling down and ask them to eat sweets "as fast as possible".

She informed the proceedings Ruben had played this game with the boys "over an extended period", and youngsters had previously become sick the following morning.

She explained the defendant had been able to explain this repeatedly as the minors being "overexcited from fun", until his stepchild had concerns in summer 2025.

The legal representative added: "In the summer" his stepchild had worries about what was going on, with valid cause.

"They chose" to have a look in the individual's items."

The prosecutor explained materials including lubricant, petroleum jelly and syringes were discovered, and his stepson notified the police about his worries.

She explained the man continued to engage in the "treat game" with six children that night - that Saturday - and they were all sick the next day.

"Law enforcement" had not arrived by that point," she added.

The regulatory agency, the police conduct office, previously told that it was investigating law enforcement's management of the incident.

Mrs Prior said the children were struggling to walk due to being ill, so the family member contacted the authorities once more.

She stated Ruben then played the "candy game" in a room of five children.