A man who laced sweets with sleeping medication and gave them to minors at a youth camp in the area has admitted sexual offenses against two young males aged between nine and ten.
Jon Ruben was detained after eight youngsters and one adult experienced illness at Stathern Lodge in the summer month.
The 76-year-old, from the Nottinghamshire area, confessed to a series of 17 offences when he appeared at the courthouse on the end of the week.
However, he denied one particular crime he was facing, which was involving a nine-year-old boy.
The accused was kept in jail prior to a subsequent court date on late November.
'Sweet game'
Mary Prior KC, prosecuting, detailed Ruben's offending to the judicial body.
She explained his victims were under-privileged children who were participating in a youth camp which he operated.
Ruben engaged in a "treat game" with the children, the legal counsel said, in which he would access the boys' rooms when they were getting ready for bed and request they to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".
She informed the proceedings Ruben had conducted this practice with the boys "repeatedly", and youngsters had previously become sick the following morning.
She stated Ruben had been successful in rationalizing this for many years as the children being "overexcited from fun", until his stepson had suspicions in July 2025.
The prosecutor added: "In the summer" his stepchild had suspicions about the activities, with valid cause.
"They decided to investigate in the defendant's belongings."
Mrs Prior KC stated items including infant oil, petroleum jelly and syringes were found, and his stepchild alerted the police about his suspicions.
She explained the man went on to conduct the "sweet game" with six boys that time - Saturday 26 July - and they were all sick the next day.
"Authorities" had not gone out by that point," she continued.
The police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, previously told that it was examining law enforcement's management of the situation.
The legal representative said the children were struggling to walk due to their sickness, so the stepson notified the police again.
She said Ruben then played the "sweet game" in a room of five minors.
