A person who spiked candy with sedative and distributed them to minors at a youth camp in the region has pleaded guilty to sexual crimes against two children both nine and ten years old.
The defendant was taken into custody after eight youngsters and one adult became sick at the location in July.
The senior citizen, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, confessed to a series of 17 offences when he stood at the courthouse on recently.
Nevertheless, he disputed one particular crime he was accused of, which was against a nine-year-old child.
Ruben was kept in jail before a additional proceeding on late November.
'Candy game'
Mary Prior KC, handling the case, described the defendant's actions to the legal proceedings.
She explained his targets were children from difficult backgrounds who were participating in a summer camp which he ran.
Ruben engaged in a "candy game" with the children, Mrs Prior said, in which he would access the boys' rooms when they were getting ready for bed and tell them to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".
She informed the proceedings the defendant had engaged in this activity with the boys "repeatedly", and youngsters had previously fallen ill the subsequent day.
She said the man had been successful in rationalizing this over a long period as the youngsters being "overexcited from fun", until his stepchild had suspicions in summer 2025.
The prosecutor stated further: "In the summer" his family member had concerns about the activities, for good reason.
"They decided to examine in the individual's items."
The prosecutor said objects including baby oil, ointment and medical needles were discovered, and his stepson notified the law enforcement about his concerns.
She stated Ruben proceeded to engage in the "sweet game" with six boys that time - that Saturday - and they were everyone unwell the subsequent day.
"Law enforcement" had not arrived by that time," she continued.
The regulatory agency, the investigative body, had stated that it was examining Leicestershire Police's handling of the situation.
The prosecutor explained the children were having difficulty walking due to their sickness, so Ruben's stepson contacted the law enforcement a second time.
She said Ruben then engaged in the "treat game" in a space of five youngsters.
