Man pleads guilty to sex offences against children at summer camp

Courtroom illustration Legal proceedings
Jon Ruben pleaded guilty to 17 criminal counts at the courthouse on the end of the week

An individual who laced sweets with sleeping medication and gave them to children at a summer program in the area has confessed to sexual offenses against two young males aged nine and ten years old.

The accused was taken into custody after eight children and a grown-up became sick at the facility in July.

The senior citizen, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, admitted guilt to a series of 17 offences when he stood at Leicester Crown Court on recently.

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

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

'Sweet game'

The legal representative, handling the case, described the defendant's actions to the legal proceedings.

She said his targets were disadvantaged youngsters who were staying at a summer camp which he ran.

The man conducted a "sweet game" with the children, the legal counsel said, in which he would go into the sleeping quarters when they were getting ready for bed and tell them to consume candy "as quickly as they can".

She stated to the judge the man had conducted this practice with the children "for many years", and minors had previously become sick the subsequent day.

She stated the defendant had been able to explain this over a long period as the children being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his stepson had suspicions in recently.

The legal representative stated further: "In the summer" his family member had suspicions about what was going on, justifiably.

"They chose" to examine in the man's possessions."

The legal counsel stated materials including baby oil, Vaseline and medical needles were found, and his family member contacted the police about his suspicions.

She stated Ruben went on to engage in the "candy game" with six boys that evening - Saturday 26 July - and they were everyone unwell the subsequent day.

"The police had not arrived by that point," she added.

The police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, previously told that it was reviewing the police response of the incident.

The prosecutor explained the children were unable to walk properly due to being ill, so the stepson contacted the authorities once more.

She stated Ruben then engaged in the "treat game" in a room of five youngsters.

Tyler Leon
Tyler Leon

A digital marketing strategist with over a decade of experience in content creation and SEO optimization for Swedish audiences.