An individual who contaminated sweets with sedative and distributed them to minors at a summer camp in Leicestershire has confessed to sexual crimes against two young males aged between nine and ten.
The defendant was taken into custody after eight youngsters and one adult became sick at Stathern Lodge in mid-summer.
The elderly man, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, confessed to a total of 17 charges when he stood at the courthouse on the end of the week.
Nevertheless, he disputed a single sexual charge he was charged with, which was involving a young boy.
Ruben was remanded in custody before a further hearing on November 28th.
'Sweet game'
The legal representative, handling the case, described Ruben's offending to the judicial body.
She said his victims were disadvantaged youngsters who were staying at a summer camp which he operated.
The man engaged in a "treat game" with the children, the legal counsel stated, in which he would enter the sleeping quarters when they were settling down and request they to eat sweets "as fast as possible".
She informed the proceedings the defendant had played this game with the young males "over an extended period", and minors had previously become sick the subsequent day.
She said Ruben had been able to explain this for many years as the children being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his stepchild had suspicions in July 2025.
The prosecutor added: "Recently" his stepchild had worries about what was going on, justifiably.
"They chose" to examine in the defendant's belongings."
Mrs Prior KC said objects including infant oil, ointment and medical needles were discovered, and his stepson alerted the authorities about his concerns.
She said the man proceeded to engage in the "treat game" with six children that evening - that Saturday - and they were all ill the next day.
"Law enforcement" had not arrived by that stage," she continued.
The oversight body, the police conduct office, previously told that it was examining law enforcement's management of the events.
The prosecutor said the youngsters were struggling to walk due to being ill, so the stepson contacted the authorities a second time.
She said the defendant then engaged in the "sweet game" in a area of five minors.
