A man who contaminated candy with sleeping medication and provided them to youngsters at a youth camp in the region has confessed to sexual offenses against two children who were nine and ten years old.
The accused was detained after eight children and a grown-up fell ill at the location in the summer month.
The elderly man, from the Nottinghamshire area, admitted guilt to a total of 17 charges when he was present at Leicester Crown Court on recently.
Nevertheless, he refused to admit a single sexual charge he was charged with, which was against a nine-year-old child.
The defendant was held in detention before a further hearing on 28 November.
'Candy game'
The legal representative, handling the case, described the defendant's actions to the court.
She said his targets were under-privileged children who were participating in a summer program which he managed.
Ruben played a "sweet game" with the youngsters, the legal counsel explained, in which he would go into the children's bedrooms when they were preparing to sleep and request they to consume candy "as quickly as they can".
She informed the proceedings the man had engaged in this activity with the young males "repeatedly", and youngsters had previously fallen ill the following morning.
She explained the defendant had been capable of justifying this repeatedly as the minors being "overstimulated by activities", until his family member had suspicions in summer 2025.
Mrs Prior KC stated further: "In the summer" his stepson had suspicions about what was going on, justifiably.
"They resolved" to have a look in the man's possessions."
The prosecutor stated materials including lubricant, ointment and medical needles were discovered, and his stepchild alerted the police about his concerns.
She said the defendant continued to engage in the "sweet game" with six boys that night - Saturday 26 July - and they were everyone unwell the next day.
"The police had not gone out by that stage," she stated further.
The police watchdog, the police conduct office, previously told that it was investigating the police response of the situation.
Mrs Prior explained the youngsters were unable to walk properly due to being ill, so Ruben's stepson called the police a second time.
She explained Ruben then played the "candy game" in a area of five children.
