A man who laced sweets with sleeping medication and provided them to children at a summer camp in Leicestershire has admitted sexual crimes against two boys both nine and ten years old.
The accused was arrested after eight youngsters and a grown-up fell ill at the facility in mid-summer.
The 76-year-old, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, admitted guilt to a total of 17 charges when he was present at the courthouse on the end of the week.
However, he denied one of the sexual offences he was accused of, which was involving a young boy.
Ruben was kept in jail before a subsequent court date on November 28th.
'Candy game'
The prosecutor, handling the case, described the defendant's actions to the court.
She explained his targets were under-privileged children who were staying at a summer program which he ran.
The defendant played a "treat game" with the minors, Mrs Prior stated, in which he would go into the boys' rooms when they were getting ready for bed and tell them to ingest treats "as quickly as they can".
She informed the proceedings Ruben had engaged in this activity with the young males "for many years", and minors had earlier experienced illness the subsequent day.
She said Ruben had been able to explain this for many years as the youngsters being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his family member had suspicions in summer 2025.
The legal representative added: "Recently" his stepchild had suspicions about the activities, justifiably.
"They chose" to examine in the individual's items."
The prosecutor explained objects including baby oil, ointment and syringes were discovered, and his stepchild alerted the police about his worries.
She explained the man continued to engage in the "candy game" with six youngsters that night - Saturday 26 July - and they were all sick the next day.
"Law enforcement" had not responded by that stage," she stated further.
The oversight body, the police conduct office, previously told that it was investigating the police response of the incident.
Mrs Prior explained the youngsters were having difficulty walking due to their condition, so the family member notified the authorities a second time.
She said Ruben then engaged in the "sweet game" in a area of five minors.
