An individual who contaminated candy with sedative and distributed them to youngsters at a summer camp in the region has admitted sexual offences against two boys who were nine and ten years old.
The accused was arrested after eight minors and a grown-up became sick at Stathern Lodge in mid-summer.
The elderly man, from the Nottinghamshire area, pleaded guilty to a total of 17 charges when he was present at Leicester Crown Court on the end of the week.
Nevertheless, he refused to admit one of the sexual offences he was charged with, which was involving a nine-year-old child.
The accused was kept in jail before a further hearing on late November.
'Sweet game'
The legal representative, prosecuting, detailed the defendant's actions to the judicial body.
She explained his victims were under-privileged children who were staying at a summer program which he ran.
Ruben conducted a "candy game" with the children, the prosecutor said, in which he would access the boys' rooms when they were getting ready for bed and ask them to eat sweets "as fast as possible".
She informed the proceedings the defendant had conducted this practice with the boys "over an extended period", and minors had previously fallen ill the subsequent day.
She explained Ruben had been successful in rationalizing this for many years as the minors being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepchild had worries in July 2025.
The prosecutor added: "This year his stepson had worries about the situation, justifiably.
"They chose" to investigate in the individual's items."
Mrs Prior KC stated items including infant oil, Vaseline and syringes were found, and his stepson alerted the authorities about his concerns.
She stated the defendant proceeded to conduct the "treat game" with six boys that time - July 26th - and they were all ill the subsequent day.
"Law enforcement" had not gone out by that point," she continued.
The regulatory agency, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, had stated that it was examining Leicestershire Police's handling of the events.
Mrs Prior explained the children were having difficulty walking due to being ill, so the stepson notified the police a second time.
She explained the defendant then played the "treat game" in a room of five youngsters.
