Leicestershire summer camp leader admits sex offences
Jon Ruben also admitted lacing sweets with tranquilising drugs
A former vet has admitted drugging and sexually assaulting two boys at a summer camp and child cruelty towards six other victims.
Leicester Crown Court was told Jon Ruben, 76, laced sweets with tranquilising drugs and attacked two children after asking youngsters to play "a sweet game".
Ruben, of Wayte Court, Ruddington, Nottinghamshire, admitted sexual assault of a child under 13, assault of a child under 13 by penetration, eight counts of child cruelty, three counts of making indecent images of children and four drugs charges.
But he denied a charge of assault by penetration which prosecutors have been given two weeks to consider if they will proceed with.
Invited by Judge Timothy Spencer KC to describe Ruben's offending to the court, prosecutor Mary Prior KC said the charges related to a summer camp held at rented premises near a village in Leicestershire last summer.
The prosecutor told the court: "The defendant, for at least 27 years, has run a holiday camp.
"There is a long history of children feeling sick at the camp over many years."
The rented premises, Stathern Lodge, were not connected to the camp itself, the court heard, and Ruben was in charge of youngsters there, Ms Prior said.
"He made the rules," she added. "For many years he has played what he calls a sweet game with the children in which he goes into the bedrooms.
"The game is that each has to eat really sticky sweets as quickly as they can but they must chew them.
"Children have always felt ill the next day but he explained it as they were overwrought."
Ruben was remanded in custody until a further hearing at the same court on November 28 when he will be required to attend by prison video-link.