An individual who contaminated candy with sedative and gave them to youngsters at a summer camp in Leicestershire has pleaded guilty to sexual crimes against two young males aged nine and ten years old.
The defendant was detained after eight youngsters and an older person experienced illness at the facility in the summer month.
The 76-year-old, from the Nottinghamshire area, confessed to a series of 17 offences when he appeared at Leicester Crown Court on the end of the week.
However, he denied a single sexual charge he was accused of, which was concerning a nine-year-old child.
The accused was remanded in custody prior to a additional proceeding on late November.
'Treat game'
The legal representative, handling the case, outlined Ruben's offending to the judicial body.
She said his victims were disadvantaged youngsters who were staying at a summer camp which he ran.
The man played a "treat game" with the minors, Mrs Prior said, in which he would go into the children's bedrooms when they were getting ready for bed and ask them to consume candy "as quickly as they can".
She told the court Ruben had played this game with the children "for many years", and children had previously become sick the following morning.
She explained the man had been capable of justifying this repeatedly as the youngsters being "overexcited from fun", until his stepchild had concerns in July 2025.
Mrs Prior KC continued: "Recently" his stepchild had suspicions about the situation, with valid cause.
"They decided to investigate in the defendant's belongings."
The prosecutor stated objects including lubricant, ointment and injection devices were located, and his family member alerted the authorities about his worries.
She stated Ruben continued to conduct the "sweet game" with six boys that time - Saturday 26 July - and they were all ill the subsequent day.
"Authorities" had not responded by that time," she continued.
The regulatory agency, the investigative body, previously told that it was investigating law enforcement's management of the incident.
The prosecutor said the youngsters were unable to walk properly due to their sickness, so the stepson notified the authorities again.
She explained Ruben then played the "candy game" in a space of five children.
