An individual who contaminated treats with sedative and gave them to children at a summer camp in Leicestershire has confessed to sexual offenses against two young males aged between nine and ten.
The defendant was taken into custody after eight children and an older person fell ill at Stathern Lodge in the summer month.
The 76-year-old, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, admitted guilt to a series of 17 offences when he appeared at the courthouse on Friday.
However, he disputed a single sexual charge he was facing, which was against a nine-year-old child.
The accused was kept in jail before a subsequent court date on November 28th.
'Treat game'
Mary Prior KC, presenting evidence, described the defendant's actions to the judicial body.
She said his targets were under-privileged children who were participating in a summer camp which he managed.
The man conducted a "candy game" with the children, the legal counsel stated, in which he would enter the boys' rooms when they were preparing to sleep and ask them to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".
She informed the proceedings the man had played this game with the boys "over an extended period", and children had earlier experienced illness the subsequent day.
She explained Ruben had been capable of justifying this over a long period as the minors being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his stepchild had concerns in summer 2025.
The prosecutor continued: "This year his family member had concerns about what was going on, for good reason.
"They chose" to have a look in the defendant's belongings."
Mrs Prior KC explained objects including lubricant, Vaseline and injection devices were discovered, and his stepson notified the police about his worries.
She explained Ruben went on to engage in the "treat game" with six youngsters that night - July 26th - and they were all ill the subsequent day.
"The police had not arrived by that point," she added.
The oversight body, the police conduct office, earlier informed that it was reviewing law enforcement's management of the situation.
Mrs Prior stated the children were unable to walk properly due to their condition, so the stepson notified the police again.
She stated the man then engaged in the "sweet game" in a area of five youngsters.
